TecnA Plastics & Rubber - September 2021 by TecnAlimentaria Magazines

Plastics & Rubber

International Magazine for the global Plastics & Rubber Industry TecnA Plastics & Rubber - September 2021 - ISSN 2723-9187

www.tecnaplastics.com

contents

Plastics & Rubber

Circular economy at industry highlight Fakuma 2021

20 Ideas for a greener future: Filtec is at the forefront

8 Bfm: high quality in flexible packaging printing with the new Sirio S-Plus

Improved performance

Circular economy and sustainable packaging. Plastiblow’s commitment

Sirmax: High-performance circular economy

86 TecnA Plastics & Rubber September 2021 Issue 5 - Year III

Plastics & Rubber

Publisher Fabiana Da Cortà Fumei Editorial Staff & Design: redazione@tecnaplastics.com Sabrina Fattoretto Claudia Bosco Elena Abbondanza Advertising & Marketing Anita Pozzi anita.pozzi@edftrend.com Franco Giordano franco.giordano@edftrend.com International Magazine for the global Plastics & Rubber Industry

Printing L’Artegrafica Srl

Caldara Plast: a green future with the “Made in Italy” compound

AIRFLASH air cannons made by Barra Project International

Management & Editorial Office Editrice EDF Trend srl Corso del Popolo, 42 31100 Treviso – Italy Tel. +39 0422 549305 Fax +39 0422 591736 redazione@tecnaplastics.com www.tecnaplastics.com N° iscrizione ROC (Registro degli Operatori di Comunicazione): 22054 ISSN 2723-9187 In questo numero la pubblicità non supera il 45% Poste Italiane SpA - Spedizione in Abbonamento Postale - D.L. 353/2003 (conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n. 46) art. 1 comma 1 NE/TV

Published by Editrice EDF Trend srl Corso del Popolo, 42 31100 Treviso – Italy All right reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. The Publisher is not responsible for any materials, nor for writers’ nor contributors’ expressed or implied opinions.

Responsabile del trattamento dati è il direttore responsabile a cui ci si può rivolgere presso la sede di Treviso - Corso del Popolo, 42 per i diritti previsti dalla legge 675/1996.

Member of

I formativa ex D.lgs 196/03 Ai sensi dell’art.2 comma 2° del Codice Deontologico dei giornalisti si rende nota l’esistenza di una banca dati di uso redazionale presso la sede di Corso del Popolo, 42 - Treviso.

TecnA Plastics & Rubber - September 2021 - ISSN 2723-9187

TecnA Plastics & Rubber is a magazine by

EDF TREND SRL

INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINES - year XXVI

Plastics & Rubber

FOOD &

ANIMAL FEED TECHNOLOGY

to Postale D.L. 353/2003 (conv. in L. 27/02/2004 n. 46) art. 1 comma 1 NE/TV - Anno 24 N° 4/2019 - ISSN 2498-9541

EDITRICE

INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINES TECNOLOGIE PER L’INDUSTRIA DEGLI ALIMENTI E MANGIMI PER ANIMALI

.it

EXHIBITIONS

Circular economy at industry highlight Fakuma 2021 The 27th Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing extends its invitation to the live trade fair in Friedrichshafen from the 12th through the 16th of October, 2021. In addition to the issues of injection moulding, extrusion technology and thermoforming, the industry highlight will also focus attention on the digital transformation in the plastics processing industry, as well as the changeover from a linear to a circular economy

he Fakuma international trade fair for plastics processing is the world’s leading technical event for injection moulding. As an industry and technology barometer in the fields of extrusion technology, thermoforming and 3D printing, Fakuma is the first port of call for innovations covering all aspects of materials, machines, peripherals, processes and simulation in plastics processing. Fakuma combines practical relevance with outstanding professional competence in a friendly atmosphere, which makes it a unique and highly esteemed industry event that also benefits from its advantageous location in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance where Germany, Austria and Switzerland meet. Increasing Importance of Circular Economy The fully up-to-date range of products and services offered at Fakuma provides machine manufacturers, users and consumers with new approaches and solutions to issues including sustainability, environmental

Plastics

& Rubber

protection, recycling and circular economy. In addition to production efficiency, the trade fair also focuses on the conservation of resources and the indispensability of plastics in order to be able to achieve established

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS climate goals. “It’s plainly apparent that the exhibitors have become increasingly eager to address the currently negative image which is unfortunately associated with plastics,” says Annemarie Schur, Fakuma project manager. “The issue of recycling and the transformation from a linear to a circular economy are on the agenda for many companies,” continues Schur, “and thus Fakuma will also make a contribution to increasing the awareness of circular economy, recyclability, product lifecycles and product design to an even greater extent.” Comprehensive Safety and Hygiene Concept Produce, consume and throw away is a thing of the past. The future calls for transformation to a circular economy. This project for society as a whole, which will change business models, products and services in a sustainable fashion, will be discussed at Fakuma on various levels with the goal of finding and further developing sustainable, viable solutions. Schall trade fair promoters will provide suitable, ideal conditions for efficient, maximised success of on-site, face-to-face expert exchanges. “As the promoters of Fakuma, we are fully aligning ourselves to the hygiene concept adopted by the Friedrichshafen Exhibition Centre,” states Bettina Schall, managing director of P. E. Schall GmbH & Co. KG (https://www.messefriedrichshafen.com/organizersservice/coronavirus-checklist). “All of the specific measures are listed here, which have been extensively coordinated with the responsible authorities and implemented on the basis of the generally valid Corona Ordinance of the State of Baden-Württemberg. We of course support this as well, because our exhibitors and expert visitors are very important to us.”

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Bfm: high quality in flexible packaging printing with the new Sirio S-Plus Sirio S-Plus flexo stack printing machine for excellent results and highquality printing on different materials, from plastic films to paper, for various fields of application

Plastics

ith a double digital event, one in Italian and one in English, bfm presented on July 8th the new flexo stack printing machine Sirio S - Plus. Simona Colombo, sales and marketing manager and Marco Adamo, sales manager, did the honors by illustrating all technological innovations of the machine In the new recently inaugurated production area of 1500 sm, which are added to the 3300 of bfm headquarters, was born the Sirio S-Plus flexo stack printing machine, with 6/8 colors to guarantee excellent results and high-quality printing on different materials, from plastic films to paper, for various fields of application, flexible packaging for food, pharmaceuticals, clothing and the classic shopper. The new Sirio S-Plus, the result of internal research & development, offers not only high print quality but also efficiency and productivity thanks to easy and precise job

& Rubber

changes, great flexibility of use, compact layout and modern design. “The new Sirio S-Plus prints with waterbased inks, in addition to solventbased ones, on flexible plastic materials such as high and low density polyethylene, polypropylene, PET and also polymeric materials of different types even coming from raw materials of organic origin, in line with the environmental sustainability policies, that are very important for our company”, says sales manager Marco Adamo, who then goes on to describe the machine in detail, “from a design point of view the appearance is very similar to central drum machines, with linear polycarbonate carters and aluminum profiles. The printing units are completely protected by the carters and on the operator side there are transparent polycarbonate panels to facilitate greater control of the machine during printing phases. Front access from both sides is delimited by sliding protection doors equipped with all accident prevention safety systems. An important feature is the positioning of the electrical part on the upper deck of the machine, to reduce the footprint of the machine itself. The control console is equipped with an

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER interface with a 22” monitor. The machine presented in the open house was equipped with three monitors due to the presence of the double front-back control camera. Another aesthetic feature, which however has important implications also from a structural point of view, is the printing unit that no longer comes with the classic printing decks, but with a compact shoulder that groups all the individual printing units”. From a functional point of view, the machine comes with a standard unwinder and has been designed with double station, with 3” or 6” spindles, capable of accommodating reels up to a maximum diameter of 800 mm. As an option, it is possible to request the revolver application or the hydraulic loader of reels with a diameter of up to 1500 mm. The machine is equipped with a double head oscillating web guide system for a perfect centering before entering the printing units, where each counter-printing cylinder is controlled by independent servomotors. The printing units are complete with plate and anilox sleeves, both of which can be replaced directly in the machine thanks to the cantilever system. The Sirio S-Plus is equipped with Easygear and automatic print presetting, thanks to these features job change can be carried on in total safety A “gear presence sensor” in installed on each plate holder to avoid collisions during the approach of cylinders. The printing groups positiong takes place completely automatically thanks to the positioning motors supplied by Bosch Rexroth, which allow you to switch from pause to work mode very quickly and precisely. The main advantage of this application is undoubtedly the possibility of storing production jobs. Doctor blades are closed chamber type, equipped with a basin for the ink recovery, while the quick change of the blades and side seals optimizes cleaning and maintenance phases. Sirio S-Plus also mounts 2 servo-motorized nip rollers, one at the entrance for 8+0 color productions, and one positioned in the center of the machine and useful for 4 + 4-color jobs. The drying system is equipped with 3 centrifugal electric fans, 2 of which for the delivery of hot air and one for the extraction of fumes. A drying box is positioned in the center of the printing unit when using the machine in 4 + 4 configuration. The temperature is controlled by an automatic thermoregulation system, with the advantage of reducing consumption. Also in this section are installed 2 cameras for front/back control of print quality. Then there is the winding section, 2 station revolver type, with automatic reel change and cutting, able to support reels up to 800 mm in maximum diameter. Also in this case, as for the unwinder, it is possible to foresee 3” or 6” air expanding shafts.

Plastics

& Rubber

BFT Flexo, bfm’s partner for this event, provided the inking and washing system that operates on the new Sirio S-Plus. Also the following technological partners participated in the event: Gama for the supply of viscometers, Tresu for doctor blade chambers, Apex for ceramic anilox rolls, Rossini for sleeves, Nu-Maber for the supply of the clichés and Sun-Chemical that offered inks for print tests. “After the great success of the digital event, we will be happy to welcome customers at our headquarters in Solbiate Olona (VA) to give further technical details of the machine and we are sure that we will soon be able to meet again at trade fairs around the world, because nothing can ever replace the warmth and importance of human relationships”, concludes Simona Colombo.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS

Plastics, technologies and sustainability: announcing Greenplast an event for 2022 Illustrate and promote the sustainability of a versatile and key material in daily consumption: plastic. This is the motivation for GREENPLAST, a new exhibition and convention responding to the need to describe and share best practices in the plastics industry to benefit the environment romaplast srl presents GREENPLAST, a new exhibition/convention dedicated to materials, technologies, and converting processes for plastics and rubber, with a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability, recovery and recycling of materials, and energy efficiency. Illustrate and promote the sustainability of a versatile and key material in daily consumption: plastic. This is the motivation for GREENPLAST, a new exhibition and convention responding to the need to describe and share best practices in the plastics industry to benefit the environment. From the 3rd to the 6th of May 2022, Fiera Milano will host the entire plastics and rubber industry in Rho-Pero in an event dedicated to innovative solutions to boost environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, options for Reducing-ReusingRecycling, and progress towards a circular economy. Companies in the industry have been investing in these areas for years, leading the way as dynamic market players. GREENPLAST, organized by Promaplast srl, will allow all interested operators – Italian and nonItalian – to evaluate plastics and rubber processing technologies and the new Industry 4.0 paradigm with an emphasis on the Made-in-Italy, which has stood out all over the world for its hi-tech solutions ever since the awakening of an environmental awareness (many years ago and especially in the more developed countries).

Plastics

The leading Italian and international companies will have the chance to show their innovative solutions for environmental sustainability in the halls of the fairgrounds: • virgin, low-impact, low-carbonfootprint raw materials, secondary raw materials, biopolymers, additives • semi-finished and finished products made from innovative, recycled, or biologically sourced materials •machinery, equipment, and systems that combine low energy consumption with high performance, high-efficiency processing and are able to use innovative, recycled and/ or biologically sourced materials • systems and machinery for the selection, processing, and recycling of plastics and rubber, both inline and post-consumption 2. • support and consulting services for plastics and rubber production generally (from injection moulding to extrusion, from blow moulding to thermoforming, etc.) and recovery and recycling •public corporations, consortia, and organizations active in plastics and rubber recycling. GREENPLAST will feature an international conference, hosting world renowned speakers who will discuss key issues relating to the trade fair: environmental sustainability and the circular economy, especially as they relate to packaging and plastic products. The event will be held in parallel with IPACK-IMA, international exhibition for the packaging industry. The concomitance of the two events is anything but casual: the affinity

& Rubber

between the packaging and plastics industries is affirmed by the fact that some 50% of all packaging is made using plastics (trays, bottles, film, etc.), and demand by consumers of packaging for environmentally sustainable products is only growing. The simultaneity of IPACK-IMA and GREENPLAST will thus make it possible to combine the presentation of two different yet highly complementary production spheres. The project will thus promote occasions for contact and development, bringing visitors, especially international ones, into contact with a complete spectrum, thanks to the transversal nature of the two exhibitions and the experience of their respective organizers, backed by the trade associations of the two macro-sectors represented: AMAPLAST (Italian Plastics and Rubber Processing Machinery and Moulds Manufacturers Association) and UCIMA (Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association). Furthermore, the fairgrounds will also host the concomitant Print4All (dedicated to commercial and industrial printing), Intralogistica Italia (systems for industrial materials handling, warehouse management, materials storage, and picking) and, for the first time in Milan, Pharmintech (processing, and packaging solutions for pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, cosmeceutical). These events embody the logic of an integrated supply chain and are an important component of “The Innovation Alliance”. Further information regarding participation in GREENPLAST will be provided by the trade fair organization team in the coming weeks. The dialogue with and among the plastics industry will gain new impetus in 2023 with the triennial international fair PLAST, which has finally been rescheduled for 5-8 September 2023. Exhibitors have already confirmed 30,000 m2 , not wanting to miss the chance to take part in this high-profile event.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

The smartest solutions Tecno System offers a highlevel experience, specific knowhow and constant R&D efforts combining with the professionalism of high-skilled team

ecno System is amongst the leading companies in the development of lines for thermoplastic profiles, producing customized turnkey systems such as extrusion lines complete with molds and integrated on-line or off-line solutions, very appreciated in the domestic and international markets. The company offers its customers

Plastics

a high level of experience, specific and consolidated know-how and constant R&D efforts combined with the professionalism of high-skilled team, in order to give clients the smartest solutions. The main focus is to grant the customer satisfaction, which is the linchpin of Tecno System’s mission. All products are completely designed, manufactured and tested in the historic plant in Consandolo

& Rubber

(Ferrara, Italy) applying very stringent process quality standards and ensuring therefore the full compliance with the European standards about the matter. With Tecno System turnkey solutions all the activities like designing, manufacturing, testing, installing and servicing, training and documenting the products are managed directly, with no need to rely on third parties. This approach has multiple advantages for end customers in terms of management efforts with the possibility to interact with just one referee. The whole project develops in many specific steps. First of all the commercial phase where the sales department supports the customer’s requests suggesting the strategic decisions about the investment project, developing different solutions and leading the client to the best one for him. The result is a “custom made” solution which represents a high value-added product, particularly appreciated in Italy and abroad. The project moves then to the design phase where the engineering departments examine and validate the customer tailored solutions, with a special attention paid to energy efficiency, safety, innovation, high performance and other crucial aspects for the final products. The design step is followed by the manufacturing processes that rely on high skilled employees and

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

an excellent network of suppliers, resulting in top quality products with special attention to robustness and reliability. Ultimately there is the testing phase where the testing departments also deal with the final acceptance test in the presence of the end customer. With special care to the prototypes, Tecno System makes available its specialized technicians to the final users for training days, both in its

plant and in the client’s end plant. One of the biggest selling points is the Tecno System after-sales service where the technical assistance team provides its support to the customer any time they need after the delivery of the product, and for any kind of reason. By opting for Tecno System’s extrusion lines clients are able to satisfy different capacity (5-350 kg/h) and a vast range of purposes

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

in the field of extrusion of profiles as pipes, technical profiles, profiles for the building industry, medical tubes, thermal break profiles with fiberglass, etc., made of a great variety of thermoplastic materials such as plasticized PVC, rigid PVC, PP, PC, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PMMA, etc. The lines are also characterized by low energy consumption of the calibrating units and innovative cutting units with radial hot blades. Particular attention is paid to the business of PVC profile extrusion, with the very solid Tecno System’s experience in designing and constructing of high quality extrusion dyes and calibrators for the extrusion of PVC window frames, roller shutters, panels, cable management ducts, gutters and rainwater pipes, etc. Another strength is the construction of dedicated single or multi layer extrusion lines for medical pipes made with medical grade raw materials used in clean room environments (soft PVC, TPU, PEBAX, ect.). Tecno System’s medical tubing extrusion lines are very popular among the customers in Italy and abroad for the high speed extrusion which is the result of the most recent achievements in automation and mechanics, combined with a close cooperation with raw material producers in order to improve screw geometry. Another flagship product are the 4.0 ready extrusion lines for multilayer pipe complete with OD/wall thickness control, inkjet printer, and a final semiautomatic single our double coiler. Concerning the innovation factor, Tecno System has recently invested many efforts in the digitalization of its extrusion lines adapting them to the industry 4.0 prerequisites. In this regard the company is getting stronger in innovative 4.0 ready extrusion lines for spiral hoses composed by two extruders, one for U-PVC and one for the soft grade PVC. This high-advanced technology includes different strong points such as a continuous marking of the tubes before they become spirals, a fully automated cutting system and ejection system with any operator during the process. As well as constructing extrusion lines and tools, Tecno System has also the ability to provide in-thehouse technologies for mechanical processing of profiles. Great experience in the punching system ambit allowed Tecno System to develop integrated and customer tailored solutions for extrusion lines, strategic in the company’s market policy. www.tecnosystemfe.it

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

CHINAPLAS Innovative, sustainable, successful 150,000+ visitors joined the journey of innovative plastics & rubber tech CHINAPLAS concluded with a huge success HINAPLAS 2021 came to an end in the Greater Bay Area and it was the first time that CHINAPLAS was held at Shenzhen, PR China, and the result was remarkable. With an exhibition area of over 350,000sqm, CHINAPLAS 2021 attracted the

Plastics

participation of 3,576 leading exhibitors from 41 countries and regions, and 152,134 professional visitors from 85 countries and regions! Amongst the visitors, 2,363 were from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and overseas. “Both exhibitors and visitors were satisfied with the outcome of the event. This is a year full of uncertainties and challenges. Grateful that we have achieved such a satisfactory result through the collaborative efforts of all supporting parties!” said Ms. Ada Leung, General Manager of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd., organizer of CHINAPLAS. “China’s economy continuous to see a robust recovery, with the first quarter’s GDP increased by 18.3% comparing to the same quarter of last year. Under the effective pandemic prevention and control measures together with the speeding up of the ‘dual circulation’ development, CHINAPLAS achieved success through the unlimited potential of China’s domestic market and the increased demand for high quality innovation technology.” “Compared with the Guangzhou edition of CHINAPLAS two years

& Rubber

ago, the number of local visitors has increased by 23.46%, exceeding our expectations. The drop in the number of overseas visitors was anticipated, and it was sufficiently understood by most exhibitors.” “To enable the participation of local and overseas buyers who couldn’t join CHINAPLAS in person, we proudly presented live streaming broadcast which has attained nearly 1 million online views! We felt closely the passion of the exhibitors and visitors, the vitality of the plastics and rubber industries, and the enthusiasm of the industry practitioners. Assembled a huge amount of cutting-edge technologies After two consecutive years of technology development and advancement, a significant number of innovative solutions were launched at the fairground, indicating the future advance development of the industries. With the coming of the “dual carbon” era, “carbon neutrality” related exhibits were put under the spotlight. A large number of solutions for efficient production, energysaving and emission reduction, biodegradable plastics, bio-based

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS plastics, recycling technologies, etc., were the focuses of visitors at CHINAPLAS. Single-material solutions and post-consumption recycling (PCR) technologies in the packaging sector were also gaining momentum. There are growing demand for LCP for 5G application, low dielectric PP, PC modified materials, electroplatable PPS, etc. Consumption upgrade inspires innovation; automotive lightweight materials and techniques together with smart surface decoration processes, such as IMD & IML and high sensory materials applying to AI cockpits were hot at CHINAPLAS. With regards to COVID-19, there is a rise in health awareness, which speeds up the advancement of medical technology. The new generation of cold chain packaging materials for vaccine, PEEK, COC materials, antibacterial and antiviral nylon 66 and melt blown materials to meet evolving needs were popular during the show. In the machinery halls of the fairground, visitors were able to see plenty of impressive machine demonstrations, such as high-speed printing machines, ultra-high-speed thin-wall packaging machines, data management for intelligent injection molding factory and remote control enhancing the production automation production, etc. Innovation never stops. Transformation has no limit. Plastics is widely introduced to various downstream application industries,

including electronics & electric, automotive, packaging, building materials, medical, sports and leisure etc., shaping a better and more sustainable future for humanity. A series of concurrent events were held at CHINAPLAS, namely “SciXplore Forum”, “Industry 4.0 Factory of the Future”, “Tech Talk”, “Design x Innovation”, “Medical Plastics Connect”, the 2nd edition of “CHINAPLAS x CPRJ Plastics Recycling & Circular Economy

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Conference and Showcase”, “Applications in Focus”, and “The 8th China International Biodegradable Resin Seminar”. All these events focused on specific themes which were found popular among elites in the manufacturing industries. The next edition of show will be rotated to National Exhibition and Convention Center, Hongqiao, Shanghai, PR China on April 25-28, 2022. www.chinaplasonline.com

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Ideas for a greener future: Filtec is at the forefront More than a supplier, Filtec is the right partner to choose to develop projects and to make real your ideas iltec is the perfect partner to combine vast experience and skills in the plastics material sector. The Filtec aim is simple: to be more than a supplier. Filtec is the right partner to choose to develop projects and to make real your ideas. The basic challenge is not to sell machines but to foresee the future needs of the market and figure on improvements and solutions. Filtec product range is wide and includes screenchangers, water filters, horizontal and vertical dryers and vented vibrating screens. However, Filtec specialises in the pelletizer sector with Underwater and Water Ring cutting systems.

Plastics

& Rubber

The GRO Water Ring Pelletizer represents the perfect balance between quality and economy and it is the correct approach to the cutting systems from 50 to 3000 Kg/h and more. This simple and compact technology allows an easy and fast cleaning during the switch to different plastic materials and/or colours, as well as a safe pelletizing process. On the other hand, the UW Underwater Pelletizer is ideal for high MFI polymers. This system offers different advantages such as no faults in the cooling system, no stinking gases, a homogeneous product without agglomerates and perfectly spherical pellets. The UW Pelletizer can be simply activated with a button and it is provided with a fully automatic control system. FILTEC’s more than 1,400 products are settled worldwide with a throughput of 100 - 12,000 kg/hr., and it is always looking for the production of the best quality pellets with low energy consumption and durable and reliable equipment. The Filtec booth is present in many exhibitions and conventions worldwide. For example, Filtec is participating at Equiplast - the international plastic and rubber event in Barcelona, Spain, and its presence is confirmed at Fakuma - international trade for plastics processing in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Filtec is the perfect choice for compounders, recyclers and all companies. Moreover, during the last few years, Filtec has improved its internal procedures by developing new instruments and management software. Indeed, the company has adopted an integrated CRM, useful for a better organisation of sales and purchasing processes. In addition, the technical department has acquired a new PDM, that connects the product code to the relevant experience in the creation of a 3D design. A new project is on the way: Ecodesign and PPE recycle With the Coronavirus outbreak that has been affecting societies worldwide, Filtec has never forgotten one of the main issues related to plastics recycling and the circular economy. Plastic waste has been raised as a

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

consequence of the single-use of plastics-made materials and the current hygiene conditions suggested by all governments. Therefore, Filtec believes that to move towards a circular economy more plastic waste needs to be recovered and reused. Working fully aware of the importance of plastic recycling and reusing it is fundamental at Filtec headquarters in Italy. With this spirit it is actively committed to a new project promoted by the Veneto region and the EU. This project aims at the enhancement of waste originated from Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), including from the health care sector. It is carried out by developing a potential circular economy of the production of such devices. The potential steps include how to get the material and pre-processes, production, usage and its end of life (EOL). The whole thing is needed in order to accelerate the transition indicated by the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan promoted by the EU. Thanks to this project, Filtec has been engaged

both in the processes of recycling and in the study and evaluation of new bioplastics. Moreover, in line with the importance of plastics recycling, Filtec is one of the 4 founders of the project “Are You R” ( www.areyour.org/en ). The letter R stands for recycle, reuse, reduce and all those words related to the world of plastic recycling. Indeed, this programme aims at spreading public awareness of the environment and at the knowledge of the benefits associated with the recycling of plastic materials.

By talking every day about the reuse of materials from multiple perspectives, Are You R has become a reference point for tens of thousands of people that everyday exchange views with a common denominator: the willingness to play an active role in environmental sustainability. We recycle and you? Make your right choice. To read more about Filtec, follow its website www.filtec.it

Filtec will exhibit at:

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

IMPACTIO, close to companies Corporate identity and brand value are strategic aspects IMPACTIO strongly considers as essential values, and it channels marketing activities in this primary direction

Plastics

or over 20 years, IMPACTIO, services company from Rho (Milan), has been supporting national and international companies in the packaging printing field in decision making, strategic and operational processes necessary for business development, through the active sales method “Marketing & Sales in action”, aimed at achieving results on the markets. The first area of intervention, assistance and customer support of IMPACTIO, concerns the development of new projects, directed at expanding the business in areas where the knowledge and/ or the study of the market with its relational, cultural and logistical barriers are fundamental. One of the recurring questions of entrepreneurs is how to reach an increase in sales: IMPACTIO implements constant and systematic actions on the market, offering and ensuring support to the internal staff if necessary. The third critical area where IMPACTIO experts intervene in order to maximize the expected results concerns the employment of a shared and impactful strategy in a market in constant evolution.

& Rubber

The perception of corporate identity and its own brand value are equally strategic aspects, not always carefully considered by the companies: IMPACTIO instead believes them to be essential values, channeling all marketing activities in this primary direction. IMPACTIO also supports companies in sensitive phases such as product launch and placement on the market. Trade fairs, industry events and conferences are some key tools in support of commercial development and communication; IMPACTIO develops communication projects and contents as coherent as possible with the corporate identity, both paper and digital. The consistency of all the actions implemented ensures market growth. IMPACTIO has a real talent in discovering, recognizing and enhancing the potential of companies in all its forms. Further information on IMPACTIO activities is available here:

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Lawer, constant quality Lawer boasts the expertise and the skills to stand out as sound supplier of high-quality dosing systems

ounded in 1970, Lawer is an Italian company that specializes in industrial dispensing systems. It has developed advanced technologies and know-how in the automatic dispensing of powder products, including pigments, additives and chemicals, as well as single- or multiweighting systems, and equipment for the preparation of compounds, fillers, masterbatch, handling and packaging systems. Its products, solutions and services supply the textile, rubber, cosmetics and food industries to increase reliability, safety and efficiency. At the basis of all the production of the rubber industry are the recipes of the compounds. Complex formulations, expertly constructed with the contribution of many substances, whose quantities are rigorously predefined. The qualitative constancy of the final product therefore depends on the ability to feed the machinery of the mixing rooms with perfectly weighed doses and capable of perfectly respecting the proportions of all the required

Plastics

ingredients: raw materials, additives, dyes and much more. And this is where the competence and technological capacity of Lawer come into play. Observing an ongoing trend among manufacturers to automate mixing rooms to improve product quality, safety, and hygiene, Lawer launched the second generation of its fully automated dosing systems for compound and masterbatch preparation. The technology is a horizontal, automatic weighing system for chemicals used in the mixing room, and feedback from the rubber production industry since the release has been impressive, according to Luca Mariuzzo, product engineer in the rubber department. Lawer systems improved in productivity and accuracy: one bag can be now processed every 30 seconds. Flexibility is another benefit; two sizes of EVA bags can be handled, which are made automatically by a device that selects bag sizes proportional to the mixer size. The result is a possible cost saving of “thousands upon thousands of euros a year”. And for qualitative benefits, because it is important for the amount of EVA material to be minimized in the recipe, “Our automation is able to reduce the amount of EVA film in the mixer as much as possible.” Engineers at Lawer worked on a new system for modular delivery and distributing weighed bags. The market seeks to reduce the buffer in terms of production and work as much as possible ‘just in time’ to reduce costs, so we aim to connect our technology to the

& Rubber

mixing line to be more ‘just in time’ in terms of production. This will make the company’s offering even more attractive, economically speaking, for the end customer. The challenge is to understand what the field needs to enable just-intime production, because every company has a different approach - though there are similarities - so we are trying to prepare a flexible project that is able to suit different customers, something that is both standard and flexible.’ Mariuzzo reveals that Lawer is embracing a consecutive growth period in the market segment shows a positive outlook for the years to come. “Our goal is to increase our presence as a qualified dosing system supplier, among tire and tech rubber manufacturers, bringing tailored solutions, not only for dosing equipment, but also for upstream and downstream appliances connected to our systems.”

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS

The world’s plastics and rubber industry focuses on K 2022 in Düsseldorf High demand for personal exchange, information and networking on a global scale, Guiding themes: circular economy, digitalisation and climate protection

ow the deadline for registrations for K 2022 has been reached, it is clear that the interest taken by exhibitors in the world’s most important trade fair for the plastics and rubber industry, to be held in Düsseldorf from 19 to 26 October 2022, continues unabated. “K 2022 will again occupy the entire fairgrounds,” rejoices Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director at Messe Düsseldorf, and goes on to say: “When talking to exhibitors we feel that there is an enormous demand for personal exchange on a global level.” K 2022 will again welcome the “Who’s Who” of the international plastics and rubber industry to Düsseldorf – there is no other place with such high international attendance. Some 3,000 companies from all continents have registered to exhibit their innovations in the segments: - Raw materials, auxiliaries - Semi-finished products, technical components and reinforced plastic products - Machinery and equipment for the plastics and rubber industry.

and visitors from all over the world get together here and use the opportunities their No. 1 trade

fair offers to demonstrate the operational excellence of this industry, discuss current trends and

The sector’s most relevant information and innovation hub K in Düsseldorf provides the global plastics and rubber industries with their most important information and business platform. Exhibitors

Plastics

& Rubber

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS chart the course for the future. K 2022 comes precisely at the right time to offer the plastics and rubber industry orientation again after the changes induced by the pandemic. The leading themes of K 2022 K in Düsseldorf not only serves as the arena for forward-looking product innovations every three years but also underlines its exceptional positioning by addressing both the challenges of our day and age and of its industry, in particular. This is reflected above all by the three major guiding themes of K 2022: • Circular Economy • Digitalisation • Climate Protection

These leading themes will be echoed by both the exhibitors’ presentations and in the focus of the official special show Plastics Shape the Future, the Science Campus and VDMA’s Circular Economy Forum. The winning formula at K in Düsseldorf also means always being oriented towards market needs and developing its concept further. This

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

is why the physical event on site will be extended to include additional digital content. “This consolidates the pole position of K in Düsseldorf as a central communication and information platform of its industry – for the duration of the physical trade fair and beyond,” says Wienkamp with conviction. For more information on K 2022 go to: www.k-online.com

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Gianeco, the first choice to reduce waste and pollution Enhancement and recycling of biodegradable waste: the turning point for recycling ianeco Srl is a plastics recycling company based in Piedmont, Italy, born to operate in the global circular economy. Nowadays, we are increasingly concerned about environmental problems, and Gianeco contributes in every way to make recycled materials to become everyone’s first choice to reduce waste and pollution. Gianeco has been involved for years in the recycling of industrial plastic waste, starting with technical polymers such as ABS, PC, PA, PS, PBT, and increasingly focusing on thermoplastic elastomers and bioplastics. In fact, the company was one of the first in Europe to successfully start recycling of renewable, biodegradable and compostable materials such as PLA, PBAT, PHA, PHB, PCL, PBS and their compounds. The idea behind these bio-based polymers is to replace the fossil oil carbons by carbons obtained from renewable and eco-friendly sources (sugars in plants), in other words, to create polymers from renewable natural resources and allow packaging to decompose quickly and get back to nature. One of Gianeco’s flagship products is PLA (Polylactic Acid), a thermoplastic polyester made from maize, and therefore from renewable resources; it is extremely versatile, and comes in a wide range of applications (currently, 70% of PLA is used in food packaging for bread, milk, juices, water, fats, oils and perfumes, detergents), all of which generate a high production

Plastics

of waste. To give a new life and economic value to this waste is a great help to packaging companies because of the very high cost of this innovative material compared to traditional plastics. Although bioplastics are biodegradable and compostable, the first and most important step in treating this waste is mechanical and chemical recycling. Whatever the need may arise to recycle post-industrial biodegradable material waste, Gianeco srl is the ideal solution and partner. Thanks to the mechanical recycling of bioplastic waste, Gianeco Srl gives it new life and the recycled bioplastics can be reused before being definitively composted. Gianeco Srl recycles a wide range of bioplastic materials from the production process of food packaging, films, fibres, thermoforming, production of disposable plates, cups, glasses and cutlery. With an everincreasing awareness of sustainable development, Gianeco is able to recycle all bioplastic production waste for processing and recompounding, bringing to the market a range of biodegradable recycled products with high chemical and physical performance. Among the latest products developed in collaboration with national research centres is Biogeo, the compound containing PLA, PBAT and starch for the extrusion of blown film for the production of bags for wet waste and shopping bags,

& Rubber

biodegradable in accordance with EN13432. Gianeco has the solution The Gianeco’s staff is actively working on innovative solutions to recycle other biopolymers such as PHA and PBS, which still only occupy a small part of the bioplastics market; as well as on product customisation, which is increasingly requested by the market. Through an extensive network of suppliers and customers, Gianeco offers efficient tailor-made supply solutions. In addition, Gianeco has expanded its capacity to recycle and supply small batches, in order to serve a wider range of users and supply all types of customers. In this way Gianeco remains a point of reference and a serious and reliable partner for giving the right value to biodegradable waste, helping producers of biodegradable packaging and disposable items to recycle and enhance their biodegradable plastic waste so that they can obtain the greatest economic value from their bioplastic waste quickly and easily. Gianeco interacts with packaging manufacturers in order to offer a consultancy service on how to store and manage biodegradable waste, protecting it from atmospheric agents, and provides an organized, rapid and precise collection service. Gianeco’s mission is to find a solution for all that is wasted, based on the principle of 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

Gianeco recycles your bioplastic waste

www.gianeco.com

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

SMI: even more functional and sustainable packaging Nature plays an increasingly important role in the everyday life of all of us!

hanks to investments in industrial plants equipped with smart and green technology, like the machines supplied by SMI, food & beverage companies will save on energy, reduce the production environmental impact and use recyclable and biodegradable packaging materials to manufacture packs in film or cardboard. Future is always full of challenges. SMI solution for competitive market! The companies influenced by the trend of strong product diversification, need very flexible and efficient bottling and packaging plants in order to reach high levels of optimization and competitiveness of production lines. Furthermore, in an economic environment that is increasingly oriented towards eco-friendly solutions in the use of plastic packaging, a growing number of companies have chosen to use rPET (100 % recyclable PET) bottles and cutting-edge technical solutions, like those supplied by SMI, in order to save energy and reduce the production environmental impact. Recent studies clearly show the advantages related to the use of PET plastic bottles, containers that are unbreakable, safe, with great

Plastics

barrier properties, light and above all recyclable. When compared to other packaging materials, like glass or aluminium, traditional PET and, above all, its 100 % recyclable version (rPET), has a good environmental profile, especially thanks to its lightweight, that results in less material to be produced, less material to be disposed of, less energy used to manufacture it and less fuel used for the transport of packed products. SMI manufactures bottling plants and packaging machines with an innovative design, equipped with IoT technology, providing to its customers, located all over the world, with smart solutions, able to meet their requirements in terms of competitiveness, production efficiency, operational flexibility, energy saving, easy management and monitoring of the whole production process. The EBS ERGON series of stretch-blow moulding, available both in “stand alone” version and in “combi” version, integrated with filling and capping systems (ECOBLOC® ERGON series), ensure high performances in the stretch blow-moulding of rPET, and PET bottles of different shapes and capacities from 0.10 L up to 10L mainly used for the food, beverage and detergent industries, able to meet production requirements up to 36,800 bottles/hour. Thanks to high-tech components, low maintenance and running costs and great quality/price ratio, SMI machines are the best solution for producing plastic containers. SMI, aware of the challenges posed by this directive to beverage manufacturers, offers solutions for producing containers with a percentage of recycled PET in compliance with 2019/904 and supports customers in order to evaluate the right tethered cap solution.

& Rubber

Green solutions for the primary packaging. Main advantages of EBS series compact, ergonomic and functional frame, capable to considerably simplify its running, cleaning and maintenance operations and to ensure significant space saving in the bottling line; - new preform heating module, characterized by compact dimensions, horizontal frame of the preform-holding mandrel chains (37 mm pitch for the production of bottles up to 3 L) and an optimized ventilation system. The new heating module is equipped with heatreflecting, high energy efficiency panels made of composite materials positioned both on the front and to the rear of the heat lamps in charge of preforms heating. It ensures a high reflection of the heat generated by the lamps and its more uniform distribution on the preforms surface - blow-moulding module equipped with motorized stretching rods whose functioning is controlled by electronic drives with no need of mechanical cams. This new technology enables a precise descent of the stretching rod, an accurate control of its position, remarkable energy savings along with a reduced stress generated by the vibrations of mechanical components. Moreover, this new technology enables to adjust the stretch-blowing speed without mechanical interventions (cams replacement) - high performance, low dead volume valves system which has reduced the pre-blowing and blowing times with the subsequent great advantage in terms of machine’s efficiency and quality of the final bottles - automation and control by Motornet System®, which ensures the constant keeping of optimal working parameters during the whole production cycle and directly

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

adjusts the machine’s settings, simplifying format changeovers The advantages of the ECOBLOC® ERGON integrated solutions of blowing-filling-capping The ECOBLOC® ERGON series offers the end user countless economic benefits such as: - modular and compact design, which combines in a single block the stretch-blow moulding, filling and capping modules; - low consumption of water and energy, thus allowing low running and maintenance costs and safeguarding the environment; - excellent accessibility and easy maintenance operations; - automation and control system allowing the management of the system by only one line operator through a simple and user-friendly man-machine interface; - high precision system, for the application of screw caps and pressure caps; - cap hopper feeding placed outside the machine at a height easily accessible by the machine operator; - electronic filling system: no contact between the bottle and the filling valve (in case of still products).

Green solutions for secondary packaging Within secondary packaging, SMI offers a wide range of automatic machines for packing in an efficient and eco-sustainable way several types of containers with an output up to 450 packs per minute (in triple lane) and applications that ensure energy saving. Depending on the type of product to be packed and on the reference market, it is possible to choose the most appropriate packer among a wide range of automatic shrink wrappers for secondary packaging in stretch or recyclable film or among packers that use corrugated, kraft or Arcwise® cardboard. All automatic packers produced by SMI are inspired by Industry 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) concepts and ensure cost reduction, energy saving, environmental sustainability and increase in competitiveness. Interactive tour to discover sustainable solutions SMI still thinks about all those customers who, due to restrictions

Design of sustainable containers Today all the main food and beverage manufacturers aim at promoting sustainable lifestyles in compliance with circular economy and support the importance of the responsible use of resources and recycle. Their commitment starts from the use of PET plastics: a 100% recyclable and regenerable material. Thanks to an advanced CAD center for 3D design, SMI supports companies in the design and graphic realization of a wide range of 100% recyclable PET containers, featuring high quality and lightweight in order to save energy and material.

related to Covid-19, cannot travel to go to the Italian headquarters or to take part in trade fairs. In order to find out the advantages of SMI complete lines, customers are invited to access the interactive tour, available on the web site www.smigroup.it: a journey inside two complete line solutions featuring sustainability and compliance with Industry 4.0, that allow to discover the cutting-edge technology to reduce the carbon footprint, energy consumption and waste material.

Solutions for tethered caps The tethered caps, that stay attached to the bottle after having been opened, will become an object of everyday use for European consumers from 2024, when 2019/904 directive will enter into force. The EU directive establishes the minimum recyclate percentage in plastic beverage bottles (25% starting from 2025 and 30% starting from 2030) and states that the caps of PET bottles have to be attached to the container, so that they can be recycled together with the bottle, thus avoiding they end up as waste in the environment.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Successful, accurate and customized Every Tecmes machine is designed to grant excellent performances and to be environmentfriendly

ecmes was founded in 1984 by a team of mechanical automation enthusiasts. The first realizations were developed on the basis of a rotating device equipped with an oscillating turret. This configuration was successful for fast and accurate assembly processes. At that time, Tecmes had a revolutionary intuition: mechanical automation applied to production; it became a concrete possibility for smalland medium-sized companies.

Special machine + palletizer

The vision of tomorrow, talking about automation, must take into consideration the impact on the environment; therefore, Tecmes machines are designed to operate with low energy consumption, reducing production costs in terms of electricity and compressed air. Less costs in production, less emissions for the world.

As history teaches us, even at this moment, Tecmes is working to make automation accessible to smalland medium-sized companies, designing machines more compact, economical and multifunctional, and more flexible. Every Tecmes machine is a story this company loves to write every day together with its customers.

Basic linear machine

Basic rotary machine

Plastics

& Rubber

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

European plastics manufacturers plan 7.2 billion Euros of investment in chemical recycling It is estimated that by 2050 nearly 60% of global plastics production could be based on reuse and recycling . PlasticsEurope members are already investing billions of Euros and teaming up with innovative value chain partners to ramp up chemical recycling and other leading-edge technology solutions

leading-edge technology solutions. Our member companies are planning to increase their investment in chemical recycling to produce 1.2Mt in 2025 and 3.4 Mt in 2030 of recycled plastics. Speaking at the “Closing the loop on chemical recycling in Europe” event in Brussels, Dr Markus Steilemann, President of PlasticsEurope and CEO of Covestro, commented: “Chemical recycling is a game changer and a key building block of the circular economy – not only in Europe. This increased investment confirms the determination of the industry to address the problem of plastic waste and supports the EU Green Deal’s climate and sustainability ambitions. However, this is just a starting point, and sizeable investments are still needed to fully capture the value of this technology.” Colin Yates, Packaging Sustainability Director at Mars Pet Nutrition said: “This is an exciting and welcome development as we reduce, redesign and invest to close the loop on our packaging. The ability of chemical recycling to convert mixed plastic waste, otherwise destined for landfill or incineration, into food grade resins, will be an important step in enabling Mars and other manufacturers to meet our ambition of ensuring our packaging is part of a truly circular economy.” Scaling-up this technology, and delivering broader systemic change requires a tool kit that includes

lasticsEurope announces a significant increase in planned chemical recycling investment: from 2.6 billion Euros in 2025 to 7.2 billion Euros in 2030. To further accelerate investments in this key technology and the transition towards a circular economy, PlasticsEurope calls for a harmonised and strong policy and regulatory framework. Chemical recycling allows us to recycle plastic waste which is otherwise incinerated or sent to landfill. It delivers significant quantities of recycled material with virgin plastic properties. It is complementary to mechanical recycling and has a huge potential for creating quality jobs and contributing to a climate neutral and competitive Circular Economy in Europe. It is estimated that by 2050 nearly 60% of global plastics production could be based on reuse and recycling. PlasticsEurope members are already investing billions of Euros and teaming up with innovative value chain partners to ramp up chemical recycling and other

Plastics

& Rubber

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER many solutions - diversification of feedstock, new infrastructure, business models, new materials, waste prevention and eco-design, amongst others. From an industry perspective, it is also vital that policy-makers create a policy and regulatory framework that provides certainty and incentivises further investment. Markus Steilemann adds that: “To capitalise on the potential of chemical recycling we need a harmonised and strong single market framework. We need to harness the power of the EU Single Market and protect its integrity. We should also recognise that we have a shared interest in future-proofing our economy and asset base in Europe with innovative technologies like chemical recycling.” Working with public and private partners via alliances at local, national and global level to encourage appropriate recycling, reuse and recovery of plastic waste pollution is key. With a projected contribution of

Plastics

& Rubber

1,2 Mt of recycled plastics produced through chemical recycling by 2025, PlasticsEurope plays a leading role in delivering on the European Commission’s Circular Plastics Alliance target of 10 Mt recycled plastics used in European products by 2025. “Based on a unique approach to the circular economy, we believe that embracing and investing in a hierarchy of technologies, ranging from mechanical to chemical recycling, delivers the optimum circular solution for the value chain with less impact on the environment. This approach will enable the plastics industry to achieve its ambitious recycling targets and will contribute to more sustainable living.”, confirms Lucrèce Foufopoulos, Executive Vice President Polyolefins and Circular Economy and CTO, Borealis. McKinsey - How plastics waste recycling could transform the chemical industry. 1

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Circular economy and sustainable packaging. Plastiblow’s commitment Also from manufacturers of extrusion blow molding machines comes an important contribution for the protection of the environment through the use of recycled plastic materials. From waste to new resource

urope bans the use of single-use plastic products. International organizations have long talked about the risks associated with the excessive use of this material in terms of impact on the environment: for oil consumed, for emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). However, plastic plays a key role in the protection and preservation of products, from production to consumption, in every field. Resistant, safe, hygienic, aseptic, light, durable and recyclable, plastic maintains its important function in the entire supply chain, if we consider that in Europe alone, more than 50% of goods in circulation use plastic to deliver to consumers intact, fresh, protected products. A virtuous mechanism Awareness of these important aspects, which has been affecting the sector for decades, has set in motion a virtuous mechanism that has led professionals to create lowenergy-consumption machines and better packaging containers, compared to a long time ago. One fact above all: the weight and volume of the containers has been significantly reduced, even

Plastics

by 30% less. An aspect that saves the consumption of tons and tons of plastic material. Without neglecting the importance of a virtuous recovery and recycling policy set in motion by many countries. Plastiblow, pioneer in low consumption, now also in the use of recycled materials Plastiblow, among the first in the sector to develop electric machines for low energy consumption extrusion blow molding, has long been committed to the reduction of the use of virgin plastic, because it has developed multilayer co-extrusion technologies capable of processing more recycled materials for the production of new containers. Plastiblow is proactive for more efficient packaging solutions More and more customers are looking for solutions for smarter and more efficient packaging that save energy and reduce the consumption of raw materials. The fundamental combination for being virtuous is: the less material I use for the production of the containers, the less energy I consume. Reducing weight, cutting waste, using more recycled materials, absorbing less energy, are objectives that Plastiblow has made its own with a competence made

& Rubber

Plastiblow’s all-electric shuttle machines come in single- and double-sided models for containers from 10 ml to 30 litres. Pictured here is a double-sided model PB22ED-700 unit for the production of three-layer containers

available to its customers around the world. Plastiblow can advise customers on how to reduce weight while maintaining the physical and mechanical properties of the containers. It can modify or study the design of the containers according to the forming process in the mold. It can design the configuration of multiple extruders to reach up to 7 layers of material, as in the case of the food sector. It can finely control the process parameters that can be reached by its machines to obtain the suitable conditions for a reduction in weight and waste. Highly reliable electric co-extrusion blow molding machines Plastiblow machines offer repeatability of results thanks to the reliability of the servo drive movements and the precision of the controls.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER Use of recycled materials for the production of eco-sustainable containers

The design and construction of the machines, characterized by the quality of the technical solutions applied, some of which covered by patents, also includes lower maintenance costs for the use of particularly reliable and precise mechatronic systems, as well as control systems for remote diagnosis of processes from an Industry 4.0 perspective. Multilayer co-extrusion as a plastic saving solution. An ambitious goal but achievable for Plastiblow The scenario involving the rational and responsible use of plastic, recycled materials, the possibility of reusing “post-consumer” resin within the production process, for Plastiblow it is already a reality, because it offers solutions for the production of singlelayer or multi-layer containers with the use of post-consumer recycled plastic (PCR). Thanks to Plastiblow technology it is possible to obtain a final product where the recycled material does not interact with the content because it is enclosed between two layers of virgin material and where the external appearance remains aesthetically unchanged. The thickness of the central layer, approx. 60-70% regardless of the total thickness of the container, is made of recycled plastic. Inner and outer layers are made of virgin materials, normally high density polyethylene, with a thickness of 10-20%, therefore extremely low. The thickness of the

layers of virgin material is fundamental for the optimization of two opposite needs: on the one hand, the desire to reduce the amount of virgin material used, on the other hand, the necessity to guarantee a good and homogeneous coverage to give the final product a traditional aesthetic appearance. Furthermore, an adequate thickness of the internal layer allows to maintain high welding characteristics and prevents the elements present in the layer of recycled material from contaminating the product. Tests and experiments confirm this A series of tests carried out in collaboration with GCR Group, a leader in Europe and the global

reference for the development of eco-sustainable compounds for the plastics sector, performed on Plastiblow electric machines, confirmed that the versatility in the use of recycled materials is optimal. Even with the use of alternative raw materials, Plastiblow machines maintain cycle times, speed and final result of the final products unchanged. Increase in productivity, reduction in energy consumption, increase in the percentage of recycled material: Plastiblow’s contribution to the circular economy in sustainable packaging production has been largely achieved. For more information: plastiblow@ plastiblow.it

Recycled plastic material enclosed between two layers of virgin material. No interaction with the content; unchanged external aesthetic appearance

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

PLAST returns in 2023 The organization team for PLASTInternational Exhibition for the Plastics and Rubber Industries announces the upcoming edition of the fair, Tuesday-Friday, 5-8 September 2023 at the Fiera Milano fairgrounds in Rho-Pero

s we all know, the Covid-19 pandemic caused the cancellation or rescheduling of almost all events all over the world, including the international triennial PLAST exhibition, originally scheduled this year on 4-7 May. Given the continuation of the health emergency, and in keeping with the complex world tradeshow calendar for the sector - which is slowly being pieced back together - the exhibition has finally been rescheduled for 5-8 September 2023. Exhibitors originally enlisted in PLAST 2021 have already moved to ensure a place at PLAST 2023, confirming 30,000 square metres of exhibition space. Applications for new exhibitors will officially open in June 2022. The previous edition of PLAST, which took place in 2018, recorded over 1,500 exhibitors in a net space of 55,000 m2 and drew in more than 63,000 visitors, with a significant increase

Plastics

in visitors from other countries, reaffirming the international appeal of the specialized fair in Milan. In keeping with tradition, PLAST offered operators a broad and varied technology showcase, especially as regards the core of the exhibition, i.e., the machinery, auxiliaries, and moulds for plastics and rubber processing. More than 3,500 different equipment were exhibited in six exhibition halls. This sector represents a major slice of Italian manufacturing, with a production value estimated by the trade association AMAPLAST at 3.74 billion euros in 2020, with exports accounting for some 70% of production. In keeping with previous editions, the content of PLAST 2023 will not be limited to machinery but range from innovative materials to cutting-edge production processes, and from high-tech finished products to personalized services. As usual, a rich programme of seminars, workshops, press conferences,

& Rubber

and company presentations will ensure a wealth of opportunities for professionals in the sector to meet and exchange ideas with other operators. Further details on the website plastonline.org. While awaiting PLAST 2023, the organizer Promaplast srl is proposing a new event known as GREENPLAST, dedicated to environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, recover-reuse-recycle, and the circular economy. GREENPLAST will take place in Milan on 3-6 May 2022, representing a “bridge event” between the previous and future editions of PLAST. Further details on the website greenplast.org.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Improved performance

those who work in plastics, wasteto-energy is not a solution, because an economic resource would go to “ashes”. Recycling is, however, growing more significantly than waste-to-energy and due in part to the separate collection of postconsumer waste, but also to the continuous technological evolution of recycling equipment that allows a wider range of plastic waste to be recycled. Gamma Meccanica SpA, an Italian company specialized in the design and production of lines for the recycling of plastic materials has once again responded to clients’ requests and created a new generation of cutter-compactors. The goal was to improve the performance of these machines and their application on materials that are more difficult to recycle. To achieve the goal the technical staff carried out various tests on lab lines and conducted studies involving suppliers. At the end, with the information received from customers, Gamma improved its equipment.

& Rubber

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

A new generation of AFT cuttercompactor for Gamma Meccanica’s regeneration lines

rom the latest report released by CONAI, a private non-profit consortium dedicated to plastic recycling, in 2020 Italy exceeded forecasts with a 73% recycling rate for packaging placed on the market. Nevertheless, compared to other renewable materials (steel, aluminum, paper, wood and glass), plastic remains the most difficult material to recover. Last year, with 48.7% of recycled plastic, the target of 50% set by the EU for 2025 was almost reached, but this goal also includes the revaluation of the plastic in the form of fuel. For

Plastics

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

The cutter-compactor receives the waste material to be regenerated in the form of films, sheets, rolls or precut. Inside the cutter-compactor the material is shredded, densified and when required, mixed with additives (even in powder), to render it suitable for the phase of extrusion. The new AFT cutter-compactor developed by Gamma Meccanica offers several advantages over previous models thanks to a series of structural changes and technological accessories. To operate the disc with the rotating blades, the Kraft Band belts were used. The refined tightening improves the production efficiency. The internal geometries of various components have been redesigned. Six rotating blades can be installed on the disc compared to the three of the previous models. This ensures higher production levels especially for those materials that require more residence time. Under the silos, in the bearing area, a sealing system for dust has been developed that allows to keep cleaner work environment that prevents dust from damaging the most sensitive parts of the line.

The position of the feeding screw motor that pushes the material from the cutter-compactor to the extruder has been redefined to make the unit more compact. The operator has more space to move around the machine, and the engine is more stable because it is less stressed by vibrations. It is possible to install a feeder for powder additives. Its position was chosen to allow the better mixing of additives with the material to be recycled and to limit its dispersion into the environment. The AFT cutter-compactor has always been equipped with suction

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

systems for produced vapors, such as air saturated with moisture extracted from the treated material. The treatment of the powders requires more attention. It is therefore possible to install a pre-abatement device for dust and fines in order to make less burdensome for the customer the treating of the air and dust particulate released into the environment. The most interesting aspect of the new AFT is the possibility to combine it with extruders of different sizes. For example, a GM 125 COMPAC extruder was provided with an AFT125 only. Now it is possible to combine it with a cutter-compactor of a larger size, in this case with an AFT160. With very humid materials, the bigger cutter-compactor improves the preparation of the material for the extrusion phase, obtaining a higher production capacity and a better quality of the granule. It is possible to process material with a percentage of humidity that can reach 20%. The new combinations are efficient even with materials of particularly large sizes or thicknesses that are more difficult to treat.

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

ProPak China successfully built an effective platform ProPak China 2021 drives the next wave of innovation for processing and packaging industry roPak China 2021, the 27th International Processing and Packaging Exhibition organized by Sinoexpo Informa Markets, concluded successfully at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC), in Shanghai on June 25. Co-located with FoodPack China, Hi & Fi AsiaChina, HNC and Starch Expo, ProPak China successfully built an effective platform to bring the

Plastics

entire industry together and offered turnkey solutions for processing and packaging insiders. As the premier processing and packaging event for China, ProPak

& Rubber

China 2021 saw the presence of leading international companies from around the world, including Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA with nearly 80,000 square meters of exhibiting space. Based on the strong coupling effect of the upstream and downstream industry of Hi & Fi Asia-China and Starch Expo under one roof, ProPak China 2021 drew swarms of visitors from end user industries. The combined visitorship across the three events reached 39,637 professionals during the three show days, increased by 35.1% compared to Year 2020. Global key players were represented at ProPak China 2021 ProPak China 2021 gathered a variety of top names in the processing and packaging industries to present frontend products and advanced technologies including: Acepack, Aetna Robapac, Alibaba, Anritsu, Apollo, Autonics, Azo, Baiyueda, Bekannter, Bihai, Boevan, Brother, Dahe, Eiahe, Elin, Fuji, Furukawa, Gantan, General Packer, Gurki,

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS Hamco, Helper, Highdream, Hikrobot, Hualian, Huanyu, Huituo, Ishida, Italian Trade Agency, Kawasaki, Kedi, Komatsu, Lenno, Luga, Koch, Magnuson, Mekitec, Mettler Toledo, Nikka Densok, Omori, Omron, Precise, Provol, Qkm, Rentian, Smart, Strapack, Tianyu Weiye, Urschel, Wasp, Weikeda, Wolf, Xutian, Yamato, Ya-Va Yilong, Youngsun, Yuedong, Zhongya and other emerging enterprises. A gathering of professional buyers to create business opportunities ProPak China 2021 captured high attention of professional buyers and end users from all industry sectors embracing food, beverage, dairy products, FMCG, medicine, e-commerce, daily chemical, as well as other processing and packaging application fields including: Amway, Brightdairy, Budweiser, C’estbon, COFCO, Dali, DANONE, Glico, Haidilao, Jahwa, JD, JDE, Jinfeng Wine, Mars, Master Kang, Meiji, Mengniu, Nestle, Nivea,

NONGFU SPRING, Oishi, Pepsico, RedBull, Roche, SF-Express, Sinopec, SinoPharm, Tsingtao, Totole, UBC, Unilever, Uni-President, Vitasoy, Wahaha, Want Want, Weichuan, Weimob, Yakult, YanZhong, Yili, Zhongxuegao and more. Forums to feature top leaders sharing their visions on the next generation of innovation An array of innovative technology forums and panel discussions took place during ProPak China 2021 to discuss intelligent packaging applications, logistics technology innovation, sustainable packaging trends and many other hot topics of the industry concerns. Famous industry experts from Alibaba, Amway, Budweiser, ByHealth, Danone, DuPont, Herbalife, Jd, Kawasaki, Nestle, Nivea, Omron, Pepsi, Unilever, Wahaha, and Yili were invited to attend the conference, sharing products cases, exploring the application of advanced technology to provide inspiration for the industry professionals.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Smart manufacturing keeps industry competitive With the rise of industry 4.0, more and more enterprises are taking interest in intelligent automation area. This year, kawasaki, omron, qkm, Atomrobot, Luga, Huanyu, Smart Wasp, and lots of well-known enterprises introduced advanced intelligent manufacturing technology and practice gathering ProPak China 2021. A series of sessions were held at the “Smart Manufacturing Hub” and other conference area, focusing on automation production and smart factory upgrading in processing and packaging. In addition, professional hosts in the live studio interviewed on the intelligent automation trends with renowned manufacturers. Next gathering in 2022 will renew the success The next ProPak China will take place at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai, China from 22 to 24 June 2022. Looking forward seeing you again at ProPak 2022!

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

NTE PROCESS: artificial intelligence leads to green and efficient technologies At NTE Process Research and Innovation Centre is possible to simulate the performance of different technologies in real conditions and have a predictive analysis of performance and energy consumption

Plastics

TE Process is the single source provider of turnkey systems with process solutions for Industry 4.0, ranging from dense phase pneumatic conveying to mixing but also liquid injection, drying, atomization, milling and dosing and in-line formulation to packing. The dense phase pneumatic conveying systems are equipped with the patented Air Assist® technology and are the best according to NTE Process customers - for primary products in tyre production ensuring the integrity of carbon black and silica pellets (fines < 1%). Suitable for low-speed conveying systems (<5 m/s) and long distances (over 150 m), Air Assist® technology has been innovated with the patent Eco Dense-Tronic®. Thanks

& Rubber

to the use of Artificial Intelligence, Eco Dense-Tronic® increases the system efficiency up to 40% and reduces energy consumption by up to 70% with an annual C02 saving equivalent to almost 3,000 new trees planted each year (results achieved specific plant configuration). Such equipment has a self-diagnosis and self-learning system with continuous monitoring of pressure and line flow, with a reduced degradation of the conveyed product (fines <1%). NTE Process also offers the patented Blender M244 and Jetmixer® M531 air mixers with no mechanical parts in contact with the product. NTE Process’ air blender use only the “strength” of the air to get mixtures of products with different bulk density and particle size, in a quick and effective way, ensuring a specific

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

control for the process requirements. Combining the air mixers with the Liquid Injection Skid M535, liquids are injected directly into the piston chamber. Such patented technology improves liquid dispersion in powders (silica, carbon black, etc.) by using air as a distribution vehicle. The system can inject up to 6 liquids at the same time, preventing the powder from accumulating on the nozzle with the drop effect that generally characterises traditional injection systems. NTE Process Research and Innovation Centre is equipped with a full scale Pilot Plant - unique in Italy and one the most complete in Europe - where it is possible to test its technologies, perform both scientific tests and full scale tests with customers’ products (atomization, drying, solid-liquid mixing, parallel processing, pneumatic conveying, etc.) to simulate at best the performance of the different technologies in real conditions and have a predictive analysis of performance, energy consumption and all the details necessary for the correct design of industrial plants. Follow NTE Process on Linkedin or contact its specialists at sales@nte-process.com or www.nte-process.com

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Sirmax: High-performance circular economy Sirmax’s choice to invest in the production of green compounds deriving from the mechanical recycling of urban waste has proved to be a winner irmax Group is preparing for the fall’s trade shows and the final quarter of the year on the back of a series of successes achieved in recent months. The group from Cittadella (Padua, Italy) will take part in the 2021 edition of Fakuma – an unmissable international event for the plastics industry – as well as the Italian events of Ecomondo and MECSPE, presenting the results of an extraordinary year that has brought with it considerable opportunities for growth and consolidation. Sirmax Group is a company with 13 plants worldwide and 700 employees. It specializes in the production of

Plastics

polypropylene compounds, postconsumer compounds and biocompounds for varied applications. Despite the pandemic leading to a scarcity of raw materials and strong fluctuations in prices, Sirmax has managed to gain market share thanks to its ability to implement a regionalized procurement policy. Strong relationships with local suppliers have made it possible to guarantee continuity in production and prevented the company from being totally dependent on a single area of the world. Since the opening of its firs international plant in Poland in 2006, Sirmax Group has overseen the market areas where the brands it serves are located, placing its production in its clients’ areas of operation. By doing so, it guarantees

& Rubber

its presence in all macro-areas of the world, offering a safe, reliable and competitive value chain. Massimo Pavin, president and CEO of the Sirmax Group, explains, “During and after the lockdown we made sure we were prepared, thanks to strategic raw material suppliers and a structured and loyal supply chain. We have shown speed and flexibility when faced with a shortage of raw materials, gaining market share both nationally and internationally, and entering into solid agreements with new clients. This is not a rebound effect following the market’s recovery: These are signs of consolidation, the results of a way of working that favors quality, a regionalized and compact supply chain, and transparency. We have

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER emerged from the pandemic stronger than before”. The numbers show the success of this strategy: The first semester recorded a 35% increase in sales compared to the same period of 2020 (+20% compared to the first half of 2019), with a total turnover of 220 million Euros. The second half of the year is starting to show record numbers, projecting revenues of more than 400 million Euros for the whole of 2021, up from 300 million in 2020. The US market has also done well (+58%). Strong demand for household appliances persists and the automotive market has resumed its activity. The sphere of biopolymers, green products intended for food packaging and bags for large-scale distribution, pharmacies and the collection of organic waste, has also seen an increase in sales volumes. Recycled products also performed remarkably well, and the SER business unit, Sirmax Group’s wholly owned subsidiary based in Salsomaggiore Terme (near Parma, Italy) where post-consumer plastics are produced performed outstandingly. The first half of the year saw a 70% increase in production volume compared to the first half of 2020. “This is not only a sign that the choice to invest in the production of green compounds deriving from the mechanical recycling of urban waste has proved to be a winner for our group,” adds Massimo Pavin, “but also that our enhanced plastic is suitable for any client need and is increasingly appreciated. This is why we are proud to have won new customers, especially in Italy.” The distinguishing feature of Sirmax’s post-consumer plastic is the company’s in-depth knowledge of technical compounds. The company’s secondary raw material is completely odorless, and capable of fully replacing virgin plastic

Plastics

in countless contexts. Sirmax’s recycled compound is enriched with mechanical and technological capabilities: It is not merely recycled plastic, but recycled plastic with the same characteristics as the virgin raw material. This is made possible by the high level of technology and innovation that Sirmax is able to put

& Rubber

into its product during the process of enhancing the recycled material. During the months of the pandemic, Sirmax Group research centers around the world have been able to demonstrate these advantages. Furthermore, they have been able to offer their clients related services that are essential within a safe value chain, such as the co-design of plastic products, innovative molding solutions to reduce the use of virgin plastic, and brightly colored recycled compounds. All with a view to benefit the environment and promote sustainability.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS

Rosmould & Rosplast 2021: growth of exposition and number of professional visitors Rosmould | Rosplast 2021: • Increase of exposition by 26% in comparison with 2019; • Growth of the professional audience of visitors by 12%; • More than 70% of exhibitors confirmed their participation in Rosmould | Rosplast 2022; • 115 industry experts took part in business profram of exhibitions

Plastics

fairgrounds, again together with The Innovation Alliance. “The broad approval expressed by exhibitors and visitors alike for the formula piloted in 2018,” stated Alessandro Grassi, President of AMAPLAST and of the management company PROMAPLAST srl, organizer of PLAST, “has more than convinced us to renew the agreement with the organizing committees of the other four fairs taking part in the innovative tradeshow format (IPACK-IMA, MEAT-TECH, PRINT4ALL, INTRALOGISTICA ITALIA).” PLAST 2018 closed its doors on a positive trend, with over 1,500 exhibitors in 55,000 square metres of exhibition space drawing in more than 63,000 visitors. There was also a significant increase in foreign representation, partly thanks to over 30 official delegations welcomed to the specialized fair, which thus reaffirms its international stature and draw. There was a rich showcase of technology presented to the operators, especially as regards the core of the exhibition:

& Rubber

machinery, equipment and moulds for processing plastics and rubber, with over 3,500 units on display in the 6 exhibition halls. This is an important sector in Italian manufacturing, with a production value estimated by the trade association AMAPLAST at 4.7 billion euros in 2018, approximately 70% going to exports. With the renewal of the agreement on The Innovation Alliance and the choice of dates - determined taking into account the busy calendar of international tradeshows for the capital machinery industry and the availability of the Fiera Milano fairgrounds - the PLAST organizing secretariat is revving its engines in view of the next edition, so that it can again propose to the plastics and rubber industry an exhaustive survey of innovative technologies, materials, processes and products, conferences and seminars, art, and opportunities for professionals in the sector to meet and exchange ideas. Registration begins in November 2019. See you all at PLAST 2021!

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Binova BiReC Recycling and compounding line with corotating twinscrew extruder

inova plants are able to process, in one single step, what normally is made in two: recycling and compound. This technology is able to process the post-consumer polyolefin material in the shape of ground sheet coming from a washing line. The pellet obtained guarantees a high-quality final product. Despite the origin, by using dual automatic filtration, Binova is able to guarantee to the end user, the possibility to produce films with thicknesses of about 20 microns. The line in question uses a corotating twin-screw extruder which

Plastics

can produce between 1400 and 1800 kilograms per hour according to the material introduced. The plant is able to compound postindustrial waste with high residual moisture (up to 8%) with particular blends of pellets. The presence of a high-vacuum degassing system distributed over almost the entire length of the extruder barrel (3 vacuum degassing flues and 1 atmospheric exhaust flue) allows the

& Rubber

granulation of highly printed films; up to 80% of printed area. The mixing of the raw materials, which occurs directly in the machine, leads to a perfectly homogeneous material able to increase the quality of the final product. The dosing system of the various materials can be both gravimetric or volumetric. A new gravimetric control system for ground film, although with a bulk density of around 0.05 kg/dmc, has been patented and developed within the research and development department of Binova: this guarantees the exact percentage of ground sheet which will feed the extruder. The production of this technology is entirely made in Italy, with particular attention to the quality of all the components. Competitiveness in a single step Being able to perform this process in a single step makes BiReC lines very competitive. With this plant Binova is very competitive, for the moment it offers customers something unique. In addition to the reduced handling of the materials inside the factory, another very important thing is the proven reduction in energy consumption compared to other plants on the market today: for LDPE based polyolefin materials, consumption will not be higher than 0.26/0.27 kW/kg whereas for polypropylene or polystyrene based materials, such as PP, PS or HIPS, a consumption around 0.22/0.23 kW/ kg (excluding the cooling of the process water).

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Compared to a traditional line with a single-screw, here there is almost 30% of energy saving due to the co-rotating twin screw which has a higher degree of optimization. This plant was projected to meet the specific needs of a customer who wanted to obtain the same product with higher yields, but it is perfectly suited to the demands of the entire market. Software and remote control The line is equipped with a software that controls the whole production, even in the event of high working rhythms. The plant is equipped with an automatic

OP control panel with Internet connection, which can also be managed remotely. In this way, the technician or the production manager can check the status of the process data of the line, even at a distance, from their smartphones.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

automatica sprint successfully offers digital stage to automation sector • More than 3,500 participants use automatica sprint to engage in technical exchange • Record attendance at munich_i Hightech-Summit • Bavarian Minister President Söder: “Signal from Bavaria to the global AI community!” utomatica sprint and munich_i successfully premiered together from June 22 to 24, 2021: There was consistently positive and sometimes enthusiastic participant feedback on the new digital format in the automatica portfolio and the globally unique munich_i Hightech-Summit on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). Over 3,500 participants from the robotics and automation industry took the opportunity to exchange ideas and network online at automatica sprint – and to digitally immerse themselves in the world of AI and robotics at munich_i. Falk Senger, Managing Director Messe München, draws a positive conclusion after three successful days of the online events: “After the long time without events due to the pandemic, our goal for automatica sprint was to finally offer the industry a meeting point for exchange and knowledge transfer again. With the participation of almost 90 exhibitors and more than 3,500 attendees, the format was well received. In addition, we were able to create important added value for the industry with munich_i. Now we look forward to welcoming our exhibitors and

Plastics

visitors face to face again – here in Munich in June next year.” automatica sprint and munich_i in numbers More than 3,500 participants took advantage of the digital offerings of automatica sprint and munich_i on the three days of this event. The supporting program was particularly attractive: The high average attendance of 110 participants per presentation format reflects the quality of the program. Each participant attended an average of six presentation formats. The munich_i Hightech-Summit was most attended with nearly 1,400 participants over the three days

& Rubber

of the event. The interest in the exhibitors’ brand rooms was also encouragingly positive. Many attendees took advantage of this opportunity to network with business partners and exchange messages online. As a result, more than 2,800 contacts with lively exchange were established during the three days of the event. Meeting point for exchange and knowledge transfer automatica sprint is an addition to the portfolio of automatica, the leading exhibition for smart automation and robotics, to include a digital industry forum. munich_i, the new platform for artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, also forms part of this format. The focus of automatica sprint was on the solutions and innovations of almost 90 international exhibitors, an interactive program with more than 30 company sessions as well as live demonstrations and expert panel discussions. The extensive digital supporting program thus shed light on current trends and developments in the automation

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS industry. Experts from industry leaders and key players in the robotics and automation sector provided exclusive insights, shared field reports and answered pressing questions of the industry for three days – e.g. how to industrialize AI and robotics or how to advance connectivity in automation. Special highlight: the virtual VDMA R+A OPC UA Demonstrator visualizing the advantages of digital twins in production, thus breaking new ground in explaining complex technologies in the digital realm. The live demos were consistently very well-attended. Participants were given insights into the digital likeness of a physical assembly machine, could virtually immerse themselves and ask the experts questions in real time. Patrick Schwarzkopf, Managing Director of VDMA Robotics + Automation, emphasizes: “automatica sprint takes the value proposition of the leading exhibition automatica – its undisputed leadership in the fields of robotics and automation – to

the digital realm. It was once again an excellent event in terms of both quality and coverage.” Wilfried Eberhardt, Chief Marketing Officer of KUKA AG, Chairman of VDMA Robotics + Automation, agrees: “automatica sprint was an experiment that we consider a great success. In a nutshell: The great commitment of everyone involved has paid off. The program was excellent, the sessions were consistently well-attended and by the second day KUKA had already seen several hundreds of interested visitors. The implementation was professional and technically flawless – largely thanks to the intuitive platform. Of course, a digital event does not compare to an in-person trade fair, but we made the best of the pandemic situation and learned a lot for the future. Now we will focus entirely on automatica 2022!” Successful premiere of munich_i With munich_i, a globally unique hightech platform for AI and robotics celebrated its premiere at automatica sprint.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

World-renowned research and industry representatives shed light on future interaction of humans and artificial intelligence in the areas of work, health and mobility at the Hightech-Summit – the very heart of munich_i – on June 22 under the slogan “intelligence empowering tomorrow”. The list of speakers included the international who’s who of this innovative industry. Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder, patron of munich_i, emphasized the importance of interplay between AI and robotics. “They are among the most exciting and dynamic technologies of the future. AI will be a strong and powerful ally in overcoming the challenges of the future.” Markus Söder is certain: “munich_i, being a globally unique platform for AI and robotics, is a strong signal from Bavaria to the global AI community.” From the point of view of the two munich_i directors, Prof. Dr. Sami Haddadin and Prof. Dr. Alena Buyx, the new hightech platform is an ideal interface between science

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS and business. Therefore, munich_i provides a valuable contribution to the ethically and socially responsible integration of AI technology into social life despite major challenges. Prof. Dr. Sami Haddadin, Director Munich School of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MSRM) explains: “I am delighted with the successful launch of munich_i. The Hightech-Summit brought together experts from across the world of robotics and AI. This has allowed us to build a bridge between science and the industry that also covers the ethical and social aspects. With munich_i, we are creating a platform for the future with lasting global visibility. It is an entirely new and truly unique format.” The internationally recognized ethics expert Prof. Dr. Alena Buyx agrees: “Since it has become apparent that artificial intelligence will permeate our lives, that it will be with us in our daily lives – in the hospital, while shopping, in the car – we have all come to understand that ethical and social considerations must not be subordinate factors in the development of robotics applications. They must be part of the development process. If this is

Plastics

implemented, such products and applications will not only benefit individual consumers, but society as a whole. They can help us flourish and live a good life. It was great to see so many examples of this at munich_i.” The new expert summit successfully bridged the gap between automatica exhibitors and the scientific community. A CEO Roundtable topped off the munich_i high-tech summit. Top managers from leading robot manufacturers, including FANUC, KUKA, Universal Robots and Yaskawa, discussed with Prof. Dr. Sami Haddadin the scientific findings presented at the summit the day before and evaluated them from the perspective of the robotics industry. In addition to the one-day HightechSummit, munich_i also included the virtual AI.Society exhibition where the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and start-ups presented around 30 selected robotics and AI applications and offered live demonstrations. Another part of munich_i: digital versions of the Robothon® developer competition, with the award ceremony as part of the Hightech-Summit, and the robot driver’s license.

& Rubber

The next automatica will take place in Munich in exactly one year from June 21 to 24, 2022. About automatica and automatica sprint automatica is the world’s leading marketplace for automated smart production. It is the trend setting event for companies from all industry sectors, providing access to innovations, knowledge, and trends with a high degree of business relevance. automatica focuses and shapes the transformation of industrial production – from automated to autonomous facilities. Messe München GmbH and VDMA Robotics + Automation, conceptual sponsor of the trade fair, are behind the industry-driven concept of automatica. The community is counting on automatica to provide an attractive marketplace and a workable solution in these times of the pandemic. Therefore, a new event concept, adapted to the conditions of the Covid-19 era, has been developed together with all stakeholders for June 22–24, 2021: automatica sprint. The regular automatica takes place every two years and is usually held in Munich in June. The next automatica will take place in Munich from June 21 to 24, 2022.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Modernity and technology blend to create successful projects Automa by Magic products are made of high-quality materials and components, modern and reliable electronics combining with simple and performing software

veryone can recognise its name. The union of two historic names in the blow moulding world market, Automa and Magic MP, set up a new company almost three years ago. Automa by Magic was established in October 2018 and it is dedicated to the production of brand-new hydraulic extrusion blow-moulding machines either with continuous extrusion or accumulation technology. Over this period, the several customers’ requirements have led to a revenue that has considerably grown over these years followed by the doubling of company’s staff. Everything is evidently extraordinary for this new and young business venture. Automa by Magic is aimed at all those companies and operators faithful to tradition; therefore, its machines have been designed to be easy-to-use and their maintenance is within the reach of many. Automa by Magic products are made of high-quality materials and components, modern and reliable electronics combined with a simple and performing software. Its technology was born among a network of

Plastics

& Rubber

highly qualified and experienced manufacturers building modern systems that are 100% in-house tested before proceeding with the delivery to the final customers and it lets this company always be ready to support them and to greatly contribute to the successful realisation of any kind of project. The new Automa by Magic machinery charismatically confirms the renowned solidity of the products that have always distinguished it in over forty years of activity. Automa by Magic means solidity combined with modernity and technology. More than 20 machines have already been produced. Case histories of this period include the manufacture of several different types of continuous extrusion machines, with single or double station, together with some accumulation head models with a clamping force up to 50 tons. The most specific productions record the use of resins as clarified PP, polycarbonate used for the production of 19 liters/5 gallons water containers and most common HDPE. Some systems have also been set up in COEX 3 version, to meet and comply with latest demands of sustainability and reduced environmental impact, by using recycled material (PCR) within layers of virgin. All this in multicavities, for high efficiency and productive capacity of very low weight containers. Automa by Magic keeps taking care also of all after-sales services such as the supply of original spare parts, timely technical assistance to support end user’s maintenance team in any moment, EBM machines complete refurbishment and the installation of brand-new PLC systems designed by our skilled Engineers, complete with its own studied software, known as UNIKO 2.0®. UNIKO 2.0® is a functional solution, which can be customized and applied to any brand of extrusion blow moulding machine, either with continuous or alternate extrusion technology. Up today, more than 90 PLC retrofits have been carried out on several EBM machines worldwide.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER Experienced and skilled technicians also perform important revamping at Automa by Magic premises, enhancing old systems with more than adequate costs. This is how the old machines resume their productive life allowing the customer to obtain reliable productions and amortizing investments in a short time. If required, it is also possible to recertify systems that have been overhauled by Automa by Magic becoming EC marked again according to the Machinery Directive, since safety is the first component of in-house produced or overhauled machines. Automa by Magic takes advantage of a vast automatic warehouse in order to guarantee the availability of widely used spare parts. All mechanical parts are produced by various loyal local suppliers according to manufacturer’s original drawings and designs, to assure manufacturing and delivery times as quick and short as possible. In the course of last year, a historical period during which the entire world has been invaded by an unexpected pandemic emergency, there has been a sudden increase in requests for Automa by Magic brand-new machines, as well as machines refurbishing and new control systems updates to be carried out at customers’ premises, according to their requirements and specific needs. Automa by Magic has proactively and dynamically responded to this demands increase and successfully met all customer’s necessities and satisfaction in the short term.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

Expoquimia, Equiplast and Eurosurfas: commitment to sustainability and innovation They will showcase the power of three essential sectors with the presence of more than 600 brands

eading companies from three sectors that have proved to be essential during the pandemic will meet at another Expoquimia, Equiplast and Eurosurfas event to display the innovations in their products and processes that they’ve developed with the aim of contributing to sustainable development. Organised by Fira de Barcelona, the fairs will take place in person from 14th to 17th September at the Gran Via venue with the participation of more than 350 exhibitors representing around 600 brands at an event designed to promote business opportunities that’s been adapted in terms of volume and size to the current context. Thus, with 300 brands, the 19th Expoquimia, the International Chemistry Event, will bring together a significant number of representatives from the Spanish chemical sector, one of the most dynamic elements of the Spanish economy. With the support of FEIQUE, the Business Federation of the Spanish Chemical Industry, the fair will present the sector’s contribution to the United Nations’ SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). This respect, the fair will give particular prominence to new materials such as frontier materials, critical raw materials, green chemistry and biotechnology with the Mat 20-30 and Expoquimia BIO spaces, where solutions for a more sustainable and safer chemistry will be on display, and the sector will be offered an area to encourage cooperation with each other by means of a partnership programme. Carles Navarro, the president of Expoquimia, pointed out that “the pandemic has demonstrated that the chemical sector is vital” and added that “it will be essential for guaranteeing the development of key technologies to achieve the goals of decarbonisation and the circular economy”. Navarro also declared that “chemistry is essential if we want to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure their fulfilment by 2030”. According to FEIQUE, the chemical sector ended 2020 with the best performance of the entire Spanish productive economy, with a slight 0.4% downturn in production, and it expects to register 7.1% growth in 2021 and achieve a result totalling 69.1 billion euros. A recycling plant to scale With more than 200 brands, the 19th Equiplast, the International Plastics and Rubber Event, will showcase the solutions developed by the sector to promote

Plastics

& Rubber

the circular economy with the aim of minimising its environmental impact. In this regard, for the first time Equiplast will recreate a recycling plant to scale called Reciplast to demonstrate how there are currently reliable systems for the recovery of plastics. It will also feature Rethinking Plastics, a unique exhibition of products made from 100% recycled plastic from renewable and biodegradable sources. In addition, the 27th Eurosurfas, the International Surface Treatment Event, set to feature around 80 brands, will present the latest breakthroughs, particularly in the field of functional surfaces, allowing certain properties such as antioxidants and water repellents to be added to the final finish of all kinds of products. Business opportunities and seminars In addition to the range of exhibitions, the three events will facilitate the development of new business opportunities for the exhibitors, which is why, in cooperation with the AMEC (Association of Internationalised Industrial Companies), among others, there will be an international VIP Buyers programme to encourage the participation, in person and online, of potential buyers from different countries in Europe, Latin America and North Africa. The fairs will offer professional visitors the chance to find out more about the exhibitors’ new products by means of eight guided tours based on their sectoral interests and common thematic axes, namely the circular economy, technology transfer and the digital transformation. All three fairs will also have their congress-related activity. Following the success of Unprecedented, the online sessions held over the last year and a half, Expoquimia, Eurosurfas and Equiplast will offer different training courses, interactive areas, sectoral seminars and speeches by prominent experts in the field of the circular economy and the digital transformation. The Eurosurfas Eurocar congress, the Expoquimia R&D&I Awards and Equiplast-Shaping the Future will complement this year’s offer. The Mediterranean’s largest applied chemistry event The joint celebration of these three events organised by Fira de Barcelona, which are held every three years and are set to take place in Hall 3 of the Gran Vía venue, together with an area devoted to Industry 4.0 and Digital X.0 Experience, promoted by Industry from Needs to Solutions, and a seminar on zoonoses and their consequences at Healthio Research Day, the health event organised by Healthio, make up the largest trade fair event for applied chemistry in the Mediterranean. In order to guarantee the safety of the suppliers, exhibitors and visitors, these fares will apply the COVID-19 prevention and safety protocol developed by Fira de Barcelona following the advice of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Fully automated “pure performance” Amut lines are widely known for their high-speed production of perfect shape rolls without any difference whether it is handy, machine or jumbo roll

Plastics

ver the last period, Amut’s stretch film line R&D department has continued to perfect special and unique solutions used on cast film lines, making the entire stretch film production process increasingly automated. Amut lines are widely known for their high-speed production of perfect shape rolls without any difference whether it is handy, machine or jumbo roll, all thanks to the fastest winder available on the market ProWind. The unique solution of winding on idle roll shafts by contact only, allows Amut customers to achieve line capacity (on 2000 mm wide solution f.ex.) while running productions of films 12-17 micron to be in the range of 800 to 900 ton/month. The same winding concept also allows the use of extremely lightweight cardboard cores without the need for special pneumatic shafts.

& Rubber

Polymer extrusion on Amut’s cast film line is done by Amut-designed single-screw extruders and the L/D ratio used is 40:1. The extruders, developed for low power consumption, are able to achieve higher r.p.m., and high homogenization/output. All extruder drives are water-cooled. The in-line film quality control performed by the Q Catcher unit produced by Amut is one of the most important solutions developed lately on cast film lines. Q Catcher detects the exact position of the frost line on the chill roll during the production of stretch film. The position of the frost line is read across the width of the film and displayed on the line PLC together with the actual thickness of the film produced. The Q Catcher system is part of the main line algorithm that allows fully automatic repetition of all other production parameters for each saved film type/formulation.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

The complete repeatability (during the production process) of every single type/formulation of film, in a completely automatic way and without the need of any intervention by the operator, contributes to reduce drastically the waste while obtaining the physical parameters of the film as previously saved. Considering line speed/capacity and having an extremely fast roll change cycle on the Pro Wind winder, the need to fully automate the production process, especially for hand roll production, led to the latest version of the RollPack packaging system. In its latest version with anthropomorphic arm, the Roll Pack packaging system produced by Amut is able to follow the production of any type of roll at the highest winding speed and is particularly efficient in the production of extremely short handy rolls which, after being packed in cardboard boxes, are placed on the pallet. Being produced by Amut, the Roll Pack is also integrated in the main algorithm of the line, so by recalling the job previously saved, even the parameters of the packaging system are repeated in a completely automatic way. The goal of complete automation of Amut lines for the production of stretch film is also applied in the Rotofeed in-line reprocessing system.

Rotofeed unit is designed to reprocess automatically without any intervention by the operator on the supervisor all the trims made during extrusion process. The Rotofeed system loads the fluffy material at the mouth of the extruder with constant pressure to achieve the required density and eliminates the presence of oxygen, which creates process problems. With just 5kw extra installed power, the Rotofeed guarantees the in line reprocess of trims. No manual adjustments are required for different: thicknesses, film widths, production speeds or resin types and the unit adjusts itself according to its own production algorithm.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

During production, the Rotofeed system guarantees a constant pressure at the extruder outlet, in the range of ± 1.5 bar. In order to avoid any external need of trim reprocessing during the start up or slow down procedure, Amut has designed a unique system called Zero Scrap, which allows automatic recovery without the use of any external bag to collect the fluff. The Zero Scrap system can be optionally equipped with the second mill that will reprocess all the waste rolls produced during the start-up and slow-down procedure, unwinding them and inserting them directly into the extrusion process without any need of external recycling equipment.

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

Mecspe restarts from Bologna The 19 edition of the leading event dedicated to innovative technologies for the manufacturing sector will take place at BolognaFiere from 23 to 25 November 2021 th

,800 exhibitors, 92,000 sq.m of exhibition surface, 13 halls, 46 special events and conferences to boost this sector’s recovery through digitisation, sustainability, and training. The moment the entire manufacturing industry was expecting is approaching fast. MECSPE’s 19th edition will take place from 23 to 25 November at BolognaFiere for the first time. Italy’s main event dedicated to innovative technologies for the manufacturing industry returns after a rather complicated year, looking towards the future with optimism. According to the MECSPE Observatory data for the second quarter of 2021, over 7 companies out of 10 (74%) believe that the sector will boom in the next 3 years, and 69% of companies think they will end the year with a positive sign. Even Istat – the Italian National Institute of Statistics – has recorded increased confidence among companies, which has reached the highest level in July. Moreover, this optimism is increasing and is leading companies to look ahead. The future is also the key concept of Senaf’s event, which will focus on three major elements for Italy’s manufacturing sector: digitisation, sustainability, and training. The first MECSPE edition in Bologna will involve more than 1,800 exhibitors. Its 92,000 sq.m exhibition surface includes 18 halls and 13 rooms. Moreover, the programme will include 46 special events and conferences. The event, including

Plastics

the innovative exhibition part, demonstrative units and processing islands, will focus on manufacturing technologies and industrial supply chains. MECSPE will also be the ideal place where the manufacturing industry can delve deep into the current trends through numerous special initiatives, like Gamification: the limitless factory. Demos and interactive activities will allow exhibitors and visitors to experience the new concept of open factory with increasingly fewer limitations. A smart factory that attracts many young talents, which is what this sector needs to grow. We are facing the 4th industrial revolution, whose benefits must be fostered appropriately. The first signs are clear. According to the MECSPE Observatory, 27% of companies has invested in digitisation due to the Covid situation. However, more effort is needed. Competence Centres, together with the Industry 4.0 plan and the measures implemented by the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, have been established to accompany companies throughout this transition. This year, MECSPE has introduced Piazza Competence Centre to showcase innovative Industry 4.0 projects and delve deep into hot topics, such as 5G, big data, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and enjoy orientation and training activities. Training is essential for the manufacturing industry. According to the MECSPE Observatory, 46% of companies have already trained their personnel to complete the

& Rubber

Industry 4.0 transformation, whereas 27% don’t feel ready yet. Continuous technological progress requires a cultural change to enhance the value of human capital and technological innovation. Digitisation and training go hand in hand with sustainability. 40% of companies believe to be environmentally friendly. However, knowing all the market’s latest offerings is essential to attract investments and improve their reputation. The ECOfriendly initiative – “Io faccio di più” –– will put the spotlight on companies that have adopted sustainable production processes and sell organic or recycled products. The Materioteca Design Area is dedicated to “Blue economy”, which takes sustainability to the next level, creating value from waste through scientific and creative solutions. But there’s room for more. The Robotics Innovation Award will return for the sixth consecutive year. This event is organised by Automazione Integrata magazine in partnership with Gellify, a platform that connects B2B start-ups. The Robotics Innovation Award is dedicated to companies, startups, universities, research centres, spin-offs (whether single or in a consortium) who own an innovative application as technology providers, system integrators and/or end-users. Startup Factory – another initiative organised in partnership with Gellify – is also dedicated to innovative SMEs. This event aims at connecting start-ups and companies that want to promote their competitiveness and connect with the stakeholders of the manufacturing industry. Finally, the Simulation Summit is Italy’s first independent conference dedicated to CAE (Computeraided engineering) simulation within the industrial sector. Organised in partnership with E-FEM, this event is addressed to CAE users, engineers, mechanics, market players, and stakeholders. The goal is to promote a conscious and effective use of simulation in product development, focusing on future challenges. Many associations will also attend MECSPE’s 2021 edition. For example,

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS TMP (the Italian Association of Plastics Technicians), which sponsors the Piazza with the same name with a few member companies active in various segments, such as polymerisation, mould-making and moulding, compounding, and distribution. AIDAM (the Italian Association of Automation and Mechatronics) sponsors the AIDAM Village, which will include a roundtable on training and finding new school-company integration models for young mechatronic technicians. Then, there’s ASCOMUT (The Italian Association of Machinery, Technology, and Tools), which sponsors the ASCOMUT Village dedicated to importers, subsidiaries of foreign manufacturers and distributors of machines, tools, measuring and control instruments. MECSPE by the numbers (as per 15 July 2021) An exhibition surface of 92,000 sq.m, 1,800 exhibitors, 2,000 sq.m dedicated to the Limitless Factory Exhibition, 46 special events and conferences. 50,000 professionals are expected to attend the event in compliance with the Covid safety measures. MECSPE Halls Tools and machines – Machine tools, Equipment, Tools, Design software; Machinery, materials and sheet metal working – Bending, Moulding, Cutting, Assembly, Welding, Materials and Software; Digital Factory – Industrial computing, IoT, Industrial sensors, Cloudmanufacturing, Automatic identification technologies, Applications, devices, instrumentation, and smart components for interpreting and interconnecting processes; Logistics – Wrapping, Packaging, Handling, Material handling, Lean manufacturing, Warehouse management software, Supply chain management, Safety systems, PPE, Outsourcing; Mechanical subcontracting – Precision mechanical processing, Metal carpentry, Mechanical construction, Fasteners, Foundries, Small parts, Wire working, Outsourced industrial processes, Micro-processing; Electronic subcontracting – CEM (Contract Electronics Manufacturer), Wiring, EMS (Electronics Manufacturing Service), PCB (Printed Circuit Board Manufacturers), Engineering and design firms; Moulds, Machines and plastic, rubber and composite subcontracting – Plastics, rubber, and composite processing, Machines and plants, Auxiliary equipment, innovative materials, Moulding, Extrusion, Packaging, Blow Moulding, Moulds, Models, Normalised parts for moulds, Design, Simulation and design software, Microprocessing; Additive Manufacturing – 3D printing, Rapid prototyping, Rapid manufacturing, Systems and services for reverse engineering, Additive technology, Materials, Services, Hardware: 3D printers and scanners, accessories, Simulation and design software; Treatments and Finishes – Surface treatment systems, Furnaces, Galvanic finishes, Chemical and electronic processes, Washing, Metallising, Glazing, Galvanising, Products and accessories for treatments, Thermal treatments, Painting; Non-ferrous materials and alloys – Processing of non-ferrous materials (Aluminium, Titanium, Magnesium, Light Alloys), Die-casting, Foundries, Outsourced industrial processes, Technologies, Design, Engineering; Automation and Robotics – Automation and Robotics, Assembly, Mounting and handling; Quality and Control – Quality certification and control, Metrology, Measurement instruments, Laboratory tests, Calibration, Analysis equipment, Vision systems; Power Drive – Mechanical power transmission systems, Hydraulics, Pneumatics, Mechatronics, Motion control, Maintenance, Compressed air.

Plastics

& Rubber

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Caldara Plast: a green future with the “Made in Italy” compound Caldara Plast is a valuable partner for customers who want to develop new formulations, and offers the possibility to give a new life to production waste

nder the guidance of brothers, Massimiliano, Attilio and Alessandro, Caldara Plast is increasingly distinguishing itself on the market as an industrial recycling company capable of providing a 360-degree service: from recovery of waste material, scraps, offcuts etc. to the supply of regenerated compounds, including the new line of “Caldara 2nd Life” certified products. On the recovery side, the company offers suppliers the possibility to give a new life to production waste. On the compound side, the company offers customers regenerated compounds, such as industrialgrade granules and modified raw materials, all produced according to their needs. Caldara Plast is a valuable partner for customers that

Plastics

want to develop new formulations, thanks to the specific skills of the company’s specialised technicians able to meet all their needs. Caldara Plast products The thermoplastic granules are intended for the automotive, furniture, household appliance and electrical industries both in Italy (70%) and internationally (30%). During the last few months, supplies to the international market grew despite the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The main compounds produced by the company are sinLAC ABS, sinBLEND PC/ABS, sinCARB PC, sinSTYR PS, sinMID PA6 E PA66, sinTRON PPS, sinPOM POM, sinGLASS PMMA, sinKRYL SAN, sinTER PBT, sinPET PET. Bio-compostable materials are also being studied in collaboration with the University of Pisa. The great market demand for regenerated products and the desire to make them more and more recognisable, has led Caldara Plast to certify the quality of its materials. Thus, in 2020 the company obtained the “PSV - Plastica Seconda Vita” (Plastic Second Life) mark issued by the IPPR (Institute for the Promotion of Recycled Plastics) for a series of products. It also obtained the globally-recognised Global Recycle Standard (GRS)

& Rubber

mark for materials aimed at the fashion and accessories market. These certifications guarantee the customer complete traceability of all components of the finished product and ensure that they contain a minimum percentage of recycled plastic, as well as meet strict environmental and social parameters in the production chain. The desire to stand out and the collaboration with leading companies in the sector have led the management to create a new line dedicated to certified products called “Caldara 2nd Life”, which aims to unite all certified eco-friendly products under a single brand. To date, the “Caldara 2nd Life” green line includes the following products: - Compounds of ABS, PC, PC/ABS, PS, PA, PBT, PMMA, POM, PPS, SAN certified PSV (Plastic Second Life) Industrial Waste (composition of granule composition of 60-70-90% from recycled industrial waste in compliance with Italian UNI 10667 standards); - Compounds of ABS, PC, PC/ABS, PS, PA, PBT, PMMA, POM, PPS, SAN, PET certified PSV from MixEco (minimum granule composition of 30% from recycled material in compliance with the Italian UNI 10667 standards); - Compounds of ABS, PS, PET certified PSV from Separate Waste Collection

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER (granule composition of 60-7090% from post-consumer recycled material in compliance with Italian UNI 10667 standards); - Compounds of PA, PET, ABS, PS, PMMA, PC, PC/ABS, PMMA, SAN certified GRS that contain from 20 to 95% of 100% regenerated plastic. Large production capacity, speed and availability are the most suitable terms to describe this Lombardybased production company, whose investments in the coming months will concern the production and business organisation, as well as communication and technology. Caldara Plast wants to let stakeholders know that plastic is a versatile material, recyclable and reusable countless times in the production process, thus reducing the environmental impact. In 2018, the world production of plastics was nearly 360 million tonnes. The recycling of plastics allows a reduction of up to 90% of CO2 emissions compared to its production. Caldara Plast’s mission is to give a second life to waste, which today can no longer be considered a second choice but the first choice of companies that care about the environment. For an increasingly greener future. www.caldara.it – info@caldara.it

From left: Attilio, Massimiliano and Alessandro Caldara, Caldara Plast’s three owners

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

Virtual.drupa provides vital stimulus for global print & packaging industry virtual.drupa made history as the first purely digital version of the leading global trade fair for printing technologies, which took place from 20 to 23 April 2021. The virtual event successfully bridged the gap between the previous and forthcoming faceto-face event in 2024. The new format of Print & Packaging Community received excellent feedback internationally, as demonstrated by the impressive final statistics

fter the excellent results of the past edition, the PLASTInternational Exhibition for Plastics and Rubber Industries organizing secretariat announces the next three-year appointment for the event, which will take place from Tuesday, 4 May to Friday, 7 May 2021 at the Fiera Milano RhoPero fairgrounds, again together with The Innovation Alliance. “The broad approval expressed by exhibitors and visitors alike for the formula piloted in 2018,” stated Alessandro Grassi, President of AMAPLAST and of the management company PROMAPLAST srl, organizer of PLAST, “has more than convinced us to renew the agreement with the organizing committees of the other four fairs taking part in the innovative tradeshow format (IPACK-IMA, MEATTECH, PRINT4ALL, INTRALOGISTICA ITALIA).” PLAST 2018 closed its doors on a positive trend, with over 1,500 exhibitors in 55,000 square metres of exhibition space drawing in more

Plastics

than 63,000 visitors. There was also a significant increase in foreign representation, partly thanks to over 30 official delegations welcomed to the specialized fair, which thus reaffirms its international stature and draw. There was a rich showcase of technology presented to the operators, especially as regards the core of the exhibition: machinery, equipment and moulds for processing plastics and rubber, with over 3,500 units on display in the 6 exhibition halls. This is an important sector in Italian manufacturing, with a production value estimated by the trade association AMAPLAST at 4.7 billion euros in 2018, approximately 70% going to exports. With the renewal of the agreement on The Innovation Alliance and the choice of dates - determined taking into account the busy calendar of international tradeshows for the capital machinery industry and the availability of the Fiera Milano fairgrounds - the PLAST organizing secretariat is revving its engines in view of the next edition, so that it can again propose to

& Rubber

the plastics and rubber industry an exhaustive survey of innovative technologies, materials, processes and products, conferences and seminars, art, and opportunities for professionals in the sector to meet and exchange ideas. Registration begins in November 2019. See you all at PLAST 2021!

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Fast, reliable and eco-friendly dosing system Color Service systems guarantee high dosing accuracy, batch traceability and modularity of storage stations satisfying customer’s permanent and future need

olor Service is an Italian leading company in the production of automatic dosing systems of small chemicals in powder and liquid form for compound and masterbatch preparation. Its technology is developed to solve problems associated with the manual weighing of pigments or additives and is designed with the aim to abandon traditional production methods that inevitably

Plastics

& Rubber

would not allow to get a safe, fast and precise dosing. The system, available also as option in ATEX version, guarantees high dosing accuracy, batch traceability and modularity of storage stations satisfying customer’s permanent and future need. Customer’s products (pigments, additives, compounds, any powders) are transferred and stored inside dedicated silos of various capacity through high performance vacuum that guarantee fast loading with low air consumption and filtering surface.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

During the dosing, a multi-scale conveyor completely aspirated through a dedicated dust extraction system allows the precise weighing of recipes that can be dosed directly into a bucket or in identified bags created in a completely automatic way. In particular, the machine moves the container under all the dispensing points, receiving the components according to the recipe to produce; if the container is under the right storage station, the dosing cycle is achieved. In addition, to ensure product’s traceability, an identification label is printed and applied automatically in the dosed bags. This is a fundamental characteristic that allows each individual recipe to be traced. The system is able to guarantee a high production speed that makes the production process repetitive 24/7 and reliable, allowing the creation of mixtures of additives with the same specifications and a “zero defects” production. Thus limiting the human intervention and reducing to zero the risk factors.

This innovation marks a significant progress in the optimization and automation of systems and technologies, as well as representing a new and revolutionary product for the market. Environmental sustainability is a deeply-felt issue in this sector, often dealing with volatile and dusty material. For this reason, Color Service has invested heavily in research and development and is now able to guarantee a completely closed and aspirated system with absolute control of the dust emitted during the weighing and the suction of the dispersed additives that are recovered and reintroduced into the production cycle with obvious ecological and economic benefits. This system takes particular care to the protection of the operator from the inhalation of harmful dust and from the circulation of the same in the environment. It is suitable to meet the current worldwide regulations in terms of environmental safety. With more than 2500 systems installed worldwide, the company has consolidated its position satisfying customer’s need to automate

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

the raw material dosing in several countries: America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Color Service relies on an R&D Department focusing on the constant upgrading of existing products as well as on the creation of new ones designed to improve the productivity, automatizing, simplifying and minimizing the human intervention. The systems are user-friendly and software is intuitive and easy to use, allowing a quick and easy understanding. Color Service has certainly improved technical assistance by developing remote control software and introduced remote installation procedures to ensure production continuity for its customers. Thanks to its system’s automation, Color Service guarantees its customers more production in less time, more coordination, reduction of the margins of error in all the processing phases, more energy saving, more safety for the operators and maximum responsiveness to unexpected events that can occur on each production line.

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

FAP extrusion technology makes the difference in foam film production FAP technology delivers many benefits: greater efficiency with reduced energy consumption, very accurate control of temperatures, pressures, raw materials and gas consumption A stage in the production of PE foam film on a FAP line

AP is today the most reliable reference partner for the construction of twinscrew extrusion lines and converting machines for foam industry able to meet the highest quality standards, being an authentic specialist in the construction of state-of-art customized solutions, offering a complete turnkey project including personalized design, in-house assembly, training and foam production startup. The company was founded in 1987 with the founder Luigi Poli. In 2020, the reins of the company passed to the second generation of the family, Fabrizio and Francesco Poli. The two brothers both joined the family firm when they were very young. Accordingly, after lengthy “apprenticeships” in the various departments

The CEO, Fabrizio Poli (on the left) with his brother Francesco Poli, Sales Director

Plastics

& Rubber

and in various roles, they are now entrepreneurs with considerable experience to bring to bear, despite their still relatively young age. Today, they are engaged not only in the day-to-day running of the company, but also in a drive to raise the level of every aspect of its operations through major investments of the kind that, especially right now, demand a good deal of courage and expertise. FAP extrusion lines are designed to produce polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) foam with a closed-cell non-cross-linked molecular structure. The production possibilities are extremely wide, meaning just one extruder can produce a complete range of materials. This fact distinguishes FAP technology among other manufacturers. Important to mention that the successful and stable extrusion of “alive” foam materials is a rather delicate process that depends not only on technical factors and high-quality equipment, but also, for example, on the quality of raw materials and additives, on the percentage of humidity and temperature inside the factory. Today, more than ever before, there is a real “fight” for the best quality product, so foam manufacturers have to adapt to ever-changing market demands by offering next-generation solutions for new industries. Technology has always had an essential role in FAP development, offering many benefits to foam manufacturers: greater efficiency with reduced energy consumption, very accurate control of temperatures, pressures, raw materials and gas consumption, minimizing of production wastes, the implementation of special equipment and advanced sensors for the easier operation. The global demand for high quality foam materials has grown significant and, over the next few years, is set to increase for a new variety of applications. Nowadays PE and PP foam films are used extensively in markets, such

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Twin screw extrusion line

as construction, packaging, light industry, automotive. PP foam will soon be a great alternative to polystyrene foam for the food sector with 100% recyclable material produced using 100% natural gas CO2. The use of this gas in the foaming process for high densities productions ensures not only the safety, but also significantly increases the savings by reason of trifling gas consumption and needless of degassing period. As a result, an absolutely environmentally friendly product. FAP extruders are equipped with exclusive and essential components for highly competitive foam result: double screws for homogeneous mixing of the melt and two models of new generation extrusion heads for different thicknesses, which special design moreover allows to obtain an excellent foam quality in terms of uniformity of cells, smoothness and ensures an average gas saving of 15%. The FAP lines also

include end-of-line equipment such as calibration and soft winder units, which are also crucial to the success of the whole extrusion process. Furthermore, today the company is the protagonist of a courageous entrepreneurial choice. FAP invests over 5 million euros to build the site which provides the expansion of the new production area, that nowadays has become insufficient to manage the ever-increasing number of orders. Also, the French laboratory will be brought in Italy, creating an innovative research and development internal center for study and tests of expanded plastic materials in industrial scale, that has already solicited requests by companies all over the world including for example Brazil, Chile, Saudi Arabia, the United States, France, Spain, Russia. The construction site will be completed in 2022. “We collaborate with companies that work, produce and study polymers: today companies have the opportunity to carry out tests in the French laboratory, but not to continue experimenting on industrial production machines”, Fabrizio Poli explains. “We build these machines and we want to share our rich experience creating a line specially dedicated for tests in industrial scale. Moreover, this center will be used by our company for the study of new materials and to improve processes in terms of energy efficiency”, continues Poli, who has already established relations with the Polytechnic of Milan for the evaluation of an innovative material that FAP is patenting. The news concerning FAP reconfirm the ambition and determination of the Italian company in current economic context strongly impacted by Covid-19 situation.

Finished foam material is wound onto reels by FAP-built winders

Plastics

& Rubber

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Martinenghi returns… from Martinenghi Tech… thanks to MOSS The new company will make it possible to combine the skills and experiences of companies that are leaders in their respective markets

he company branch of Martinenghi S.r.l. in Albignano d’Adda (MI) historical firm active in the market of machines for the production of collapsible tubes, aerosol cans and rigid containers made of aluminium as well as in the construction of high speed digital printing machines (Michelangelo) on hollow cylindrical containers of various kinds, has been acquired by a newco called Martinenghi Tech S.r.l. whose majority shareholder is MOSS S.r.l. located in Reggio Emilia, a world leader company for over 50 years in the construction of dry-offset and silk-screen printing machines. The original ownership of Martinenghi will join the newco with a minority stake with the aim of guaranteeing its own contribution through the specificities and widespread technical skills acquired over decades of activity.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

With this transaction, effective from September 9th, 2021, MOSS will have the operational management and will outline the new strategies. To ensure continuity, the activity of Martinenghi Tech will continue to take place at the Albignano d’Adda plant. “The acquisition” says Dr. Andrea Fantozzi, CEO of MOSS and of the newco Martinenghi Tech “aims to consolidate the presence on the market of a historic brand such as Martinenghi as well as to encourage greater penetration of the company in the market of digital solutions, where we will try to bring the concept of MOSS, aimed at pursuing a long-term growth strategy, through product innovation, focusing on the development of markets and the expansion of solutions. I am very pleased also to welcome Martinenghi customers and employees to the new Martinenghi Tech and I look forward to supporting them in their future activities. On the side of MOSS, we believe that the transaction will help to positively accelerate the growth of our business.” According to Eng. Umberto Bianchi, member of the Board of Directors of the newco “The new company will make it possible combining the skills and experiences of companies that are leaders in their respective markets. This is a historic choice for two family businesses, which make people – together with technology - one of the main assets of their respective companies, as well as sustainability one of the competitiveness drivers in the sector.”

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

IEG: at Ecomondo and Key Energy 2021, focus on the green challenges of Africa and Europe African embassies and companies, associations and buyers from Europe and Africa have confirmed their interest, an enrichment of know-how and tangible business opportunities

driving force for environmental business and an ecological transition accelerator: four days of business and knowhow exchange with top experts from the European Commission, innovators, international and national authorities, the world of science and university, decision makers and investors. All gathered from 26th to 29th October, at Rimini Expo Centre in Italy, for Ecomondo (24th edition) and Key Energy (14th edition). “These two shows of ours,” explained Corrado Peraboni, CEO of IEG- Italian Exhibition Group, “are green economy and renewable energy leaders in the Euro Mediterranean basin. They present products and compare projects for the global green challenges that every country has been called upon to resolve, particularly those on the African and European continent.” As IEG’s Green&Technology group exhibition manager, Alessandra Astolfi, adds: “The African embassies of Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Ruanda and Kenya, to name but a few, will be represented at the trade shows, as well as companies, associations and buyers from the

Plastics

aforementioned countries and from Europe, to further their knowhow, develop networking and finalize business agreements”. The 2021 edition of Ecomondo and Key Energy will ignite an authentic debate and business platform, further enriched by oneto-one meetings that buyers and companies will be able to organize even prior to the event. Besides the exhibition area, which will occupy all the Expo Centre and is the core of Ecomondo and Key Energy, the two shows will also feature 150 seminars and conferences – many of which international and in English – officiated by professor Fabio Fava and Gianni Silvestrini as heads of their respective Scientific and Technical Committees. The main theme, the Mediterranean basin: as part of the BlueMed Pilot initiative and with the participation of the European Commission, the event will illustrate the production and plastic recycling strategies for a clean sea and for recovering degenerated ecosystems and habitats. Other events will deal with the topic of circular bio-economy proposed by the Mission Soil Health and Food Mission Board to ensure that 75% of soils are healthy by 2030,

& Rubber

while workshops on plastic waste transformation will highlight the opportunities of pyrolysis systems as well as the legal obstacles that are still blocking these types of technologies. Within the context of Key Energy, the opening conference will offer the chance to shed light on the opportunities for Italy linked to the PNRR, (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), on incentive policies for energy transition and the assessment of their impact on the Nation-System, while the Africa Green Growth event, in collaboration with ITA, Italian Trade Agency, will directly involve institutional representatives and African associations from Kenya and Ruanda, as well as Italian companies in Sub-Saharan Africa and will highlight the future role of wind energy in the African continent’s energy mix. And, in line with the events, the electricity sector at the centre of European actions to re-launch the economy: institutions and European associations will meet with Italian interlocutors to define the best strategy to fulfil the Green Deal. This year, running alongside Ecomondo and Key Energy, will be SAL.VE, the biennial Environmental Motor Show, organized by IEG in partnership with ANFIA (Italy’s automotive industry association), which will be exhibiting the entire range of vehicles and fittings for urban hygiene, street cleaning and solid and liquid waste collection and transportation. The programme of events, subject to modification, is available on the following link: https://en.ecomondo.com/ events/program/eventsschedule?date=2021-10-26 www.ecomondo.com https://en.keyenergy.it

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

AIRFLASH® air cannons made by Barra Project International To avoid plant slowdown and shutdown keep fluidified your stored granular material

ilos and hoppers are typically used for the storage of different types of materials, from food to aggregates (feed, cereals, grains, industrial powders, gypsum, cement, fly ash, clinker, pharmaceutical products, wood chips, metal and plastic fibers, etc.). Cleaning the silos is essential to maximize storage efficiency and to avoid the aging of stored materials. By silo cleaning, we mean the containment of the risk of material compaction and encrustation and the regular emptying of the silo contents: the regular flow of material from the storage facilities is essential to guarantee the continuity of the production chain and the good quality and conservation of the product.

Plastics

The material is supplied from the top of the silo and extracted from its bottom according to a “first-in firstout” loading logic; this means that the “older” material must be the first to be extracted and this is essential to avoid contamination and/or deteriorations. This operating logic is feasible only if the regular product outflow and the periodic cleaning of the silo are guaranteed. This is possible by preventing phenomena of bridging (formation of bridges that block the escape of material from the silo) and of rat holing (compactions of material around the silo unloading mouth and along the walls). Rat holing in particular, in addition to reducing the storage capacity of the structures, compromises the quality of the material (in the dead zones the product stagnates and ages): the new material immediately comes into contact with the old, becoming contaminated and polluted. This irreparably compromises the quality of the entire contents of the silo. Operational management risks must also be taken into account: due to deterioration, some materials can in fact generate dangerous gases. The cleaning system produced and proposed by Barra Project International Srl are the AIRFLASH® compressed air cannons. Extensively tested and proven efficient system,

& Rubber

the compressed air cannon is an energy accumulator consisting of a quick exhaust valve (firing head) and a tank for storing the compressed gas. The operation of the cannon is simple, but extremely effective: the cannon generates a shock wave that is instantly released inside the clogged storage structure: the impact breaks up bridges, compactions and encrustations. The cannon also performs a preventive action on the formation of clogging and promotes the natural flow of material: the periodic injections of

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

compressed air keep the material constantly moved. The strength of AIRFLASH® cannons, unlike traditional vibrators, is that the cannon has a direct fluidifying action on the material; this means that AIRFLASH® avoids the fatigue stresses on the structures thus extending their useful life (vibrators, on the other hand, can cause structural damage and can contribute to the compaction of materials, especially if they are finegrained, worsening the blocking conditions of the silo). AIRFLASH® cannons have a modular structure that allows a high degree of customization and optimization of spare parts warehouse management. Specific silencing measures make AIRFLASH® applicable also nearby residential areas. The AIRFLASH® range

includes tanks from 0,5Lt up to 150Lt with a maximum operating pressure of 10bar; application temperatures from -10°C to +100°C. Main advantages of AIRFLASH®: a) continuous handling of the material and cleaning action of the structures: thus, avoiding the creation of dead zones where the material is at risk of deterioration for long parking periods and avoiding sudden landslides of product piles that can damage the internal structure of the silo b) optimization of the storage capacity of the structure c) reduction/cancellation of production slowdowns and plant shutdowns caused by the clogging of storage facilities d) avoids the need for cleaning and/or manual unlocking of the silo to protect the safety of area

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

operators: the cannon has a preventive action on the formation of clogging and thus eliminates the need for risky extraordinary maintenance operations for unlocking and emptying of silos. Manual cleaning is dangerous (as well as obsolete): the personnel, lowered from above inside the structures by rope, is subjected, in the presence of rat holing, to the risk deriving from the fall of material from above and the presence of gas, while in the presence of bridging phenomena, to the risk of dragging on the bottom once the bridge is broken. In case of bridging, also the manual release of the bottom of the silo from the outside is highly risky: the operator is in fact exposed to the sudden vertical fall of the material being unloaded from the structure.

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

Plastics Recycling Show Europe returns to Amsterdam 4-5 November The free-to-attend Plastics Recycling Show Europe brings together key players from the plastics and recycling sectors to showcase innovative technology, share best practice, network and do business

he Plastics Recycling Show Europe (PRSE), the panEuropean exhibition and conference dedicated to plastics recycling, returns to the RAI Amsterdam, The Netherlands on 4-5 November, moving to the larger Hall 12 this year to accommodate demand for a larger exhibition and conference space. The free-to-attend Plastics Recycling Show Europe brings together key players from the plastics and recycling sectors to showcase innovative technology, share best practice, network and do business. A broad cross-section of the industry is represented at the event including plastics recycling machinery and equipment suppliers, plastic material suppliers and compounders, preprocessors, plastics recyclers, waste management specialists and industry associations. “PRSE is a must-visit event to stay up to date with the latest developments and gain the insights into the legislative landscape of plastics recycling in Europe,” said Ton Emans, Plastics Recyclers

Plastics

Europe president. The fifth edition of the of the Plastics Recycling Show Europe will take place more than two years after our last in-person event in 2019. The pandemic has been a very challenging time for everyone, but also a period of unprecedented change.” “PRSE has cemented its position as the focal point for plastics recycling in Europe,” said Matt Barber, PRSE Event Director at Crain Communications. “By moving to Hall 12 at the RAI this year, we have been able to accommodate demand for more exhibition space from more exhibitors and expand the floorplan to over 8,000 m2.” Among more than 170 companies exhibiting at the largest PRSE show to date are: Berry Bpi Group, EREMA, FIMIC, Krauss Maffei, Lindner Recyclingtech, LyondellBasell, NextChem, Pellenc ST, Pla.to

& Rubber

GmbH, Polyloop, Starlinger, Suez, Tomra Sorting and Veolia. The latest trends in the plastics recycling sector will be explored in depth throughout the two-day conference, which provides a holistic view of the whole plastic recycling value chain, drawing together political leaders, major brands, recyclers and the plastics recycling and manufacturing industry. Updating delegates on the latest political and legislative developments in plastics recycling in Europe will be the opening conference session entitled: Making Plastics Fully Circular: What’s Next? Materials focus sessions on the first day will explore the challenges, issues and opportunities within the sector for mechanical recycling, covering PET, PVC and Technical Plastics.

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS The second day’s opening conference session is Closing the Circle with RecyClass and is followed by polyolefin material focus sessions which will examine the current status of polyolefin waste streams including highand low-density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE). The conference concludes with a final session looking at polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) recycling. Event sponsors Erema, Poly2Poly and BASF are also due to make presentations. Dr. Gazi Tuerkoglu of BASF’s Global Competence Center Packaging & Consumer Goods,

Plastic Additives will present: Sustainable additive solutions – enhancing performance and value of circular plastics. The winners of all seven award categories at the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe 2021 will be announced at the event on 5 November. All finalists will be showcased in the exhibition, as will the winners of the 2020 awards, which were presented virtually. The seven categories are: Automotive, Electrical or Electronic Product; Building & Construction Product; Household & Leisure Product; Plastic Packaging Product; Product

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Technology Innovation; Recycling Machinery Innovation and Plastics Recycling Ambassador. EREMA Engineering Recycling Maschinen GmbH, Fimic SRL and Tomra Sorting Recycling are platinum sponsors of the 2021 Awards “Finalist products and projects are all made in Europe and shortlisted products all contain a minimum of 50% recycled plastics,” said Ton Emans. “We received entries from organisations representing the whole of the plastics value chain and beyond. This is a great testament to the quality of plastics recycling in Europe’s increasingly circular economy.” The hybrid event will allow people unable to visit the event in person to view elements of the twoday conference programme via livestream, including the announcement of winners of the Plastics Recycling Awards Europe. Online-only visitors will also be able to interact directly with exhibitors. PRSE organisers are working closely with the RAI to ensure all visitors enjoy a covid-secure event. This will include following the latest guidelines from the Government of The Netherlands and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to ensure business exhibitions and conferences can take place safely. For more information and visitor registration: https://www.prseventeurope.com/

Plastics

& Rubber

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER

Stereotypes and misconceptions: a campaign for finding out the truth about plastic A study is under way to determine consumers’ perception of plastic, their behaviour in relation to it, and their awareness and knowledge of how plastic has evolved in relation to sustainability and the circular economy

he first initiative in an important, articulated campaign for finding out more about important issues in the plastics industry gets under way today. The goal is to improve consumers’ awareness of plastic materials through a campaign providing information on how plastics have evolved in recent years. Manufacturers of plastic packaging are working hard and constantly conducting research, introducing innovative materials with a low environmental impact, policies aimed at achieving circularity, greener production technologies and sustainable manufacturing practices. These major changes are the result of demand among consumers, who play a key role as the primary users of plastic packaging. Consumers’ buying habits have changed radically in recent years, and though consumers have stayed faithful to their favourite brands, they expect their fidelity to be rewarded by a demonstration of transparency and attention to the type, origin and use of materials throughout the manufacturing process, including recycling. And so it is only natural that the first step in the campaign entitled “Plastic has changed: change your mind about plastic” should focus on consumers. A survey of a statistically representative sample of consumers will be conducted to determine consumers’ knowledge of issues relating to the world of plastic, their behaviour as users of plastic and their

Plastics

& Rubber

degree of sensitivity to the issues of recycling, the circular economy and therefore sustainability. The results of the survey will offer a snapshot of the current situation in view of growing global maturity when it comes to sustainability, ethical production and social and governmental commitment. As revealed by a study entitled “The pandemic is heightening environmental awareness” conducted by the Boston Consulting Group in July 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic that has struck the whole world indistinctly, forcing us to go into lockdown, has had a number of positive consequences, including widespread reflection on the fate of our planet and the urgency of remedying the increasingly critical climate crisis. This has led us to question not only many aspects of our behaviour, but also a number of prejudices relating to the production and use of plastic, making the “Plastic has changed: change your mind about plastic” initiative more relevant than ever. Knowing also means finding the most appropriate remedies, because we definitely cannot neglect the impact of packaging materials, which is not only limited to the area of our everyday buying habits but also affects a consistent portion of our national economy. Italy is in fact one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of packing and packaging machinery and technologies, plants for the production of plastic manufactures, and plastic objects and packaging. This is one of the country’s most important industries, in both economic and technological terms, a true pole of excellence employing 162 thousand people in 10 thousand operative enterprises (22% of Europe’s enterprises) totalling 32 billion in annual sales (source: Federazione Gomma Plastica). Understanding how the industry has changed over the years to offer more practical, high-performing, and at the same time sustainable and recyclable solutions represents an important step toward an understanding of the role plastic has played in the past and will continue to play in the future. The process of social and economic development over recent decades has definitely benefited from plastic, that is, from the

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

WORLD OF PLASTICS & RUBBER technologies, materials and production processes that have evolved hand in hand with growing demand on the market for usability, practicality, hygiene and sustainability. The survey mentioned above (the results of which will be published by the end of the year) is only the first step. The “Plastic has changed: change your mind about plastic” campaign will feature communications encouraging discussion of issues involved with use of the material and its environmental sustainability, with the support of experts and technicians in the industry. The campaign is being conducted through a number of channels: -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laplasticaecambiata -Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laplasticaecambiata/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/plasticambia More information on the initiative “Plastic has changed: change your mind about plastic” is a project that aims to bust myths about plastic and promote awareness of how research and development and application of best practices in the circular economy have made big changes to the impact of plastic on the environment. The project is inspired by the fact that sustainable, ecological use of resources, in this case plastic and plastic packaging, which have evolved over the years in terms of materials and production technologies, have laid the foundations for ensuring that future generations will be able to live in a healthy environment and increasingly achieve progress in terms of social and individual well-being. “Plastic has changed: change your mind about plastic” is a project supported by Alpla, one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of innovative plastic packaging. www.laplasticaecambiata.it

About the ALPLA Group ALPLA is one of the leading companies involved in plastic packaging. Around 21,600 employees worldwide produce custommade packaging systems, bottles, caps and moulded parts at 178 sites across 45 countries. The high-quality packaging is used in a wide range of areas, including for food and drinks, cosmetics and care products, household detergents, washing and cleaning agents, pharmaceutical products, engine oils and lubricants. ALPLA operates its own recycling plants for PET and HDPE in Austria, Poland and Spain, and in the form of joint ventures in Mexico and Germany. Other projects are being realised elsewhere around the world. ALPLA Italy runs 7 plants across the country -including 2 in-house operations- and has more than 450 employees. With an investment of more than 5 million Euros, in 2022 a PET recycling plant will be opening in Anagni.

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

Plastics

& Rubber

EXHIBITIONS

interpack 2023: Simply unique The industry puts its trust in the leading trade fair: interpack 2023 is already 85% booked up he new brand slogan: Simply Unique The registration window for the next interpack, which will be held from 4 to 10 May 2023 at the Düsseldorf trade fair centre, was set to open this year in autumn. Due to this year’s cancellation (because to the pandemic), which first delayed the trade fair until spring 2021 and then cancelled it entirely, the companies that had already registered were given a one-off opportunity to rebook immediately for the next interpack,

Plastics

and this proposition was met with almost universal acceptance. Together with new registrations from other companies, the bookings

& Rubber

received by mid-August 2021 have already filled 85% of our capacity. “We’re really excited by how enthusiastically our customers have

...........................................................SEPTEMBER 2021

EXHIBITIONS

taken up this offer. Again and again, we’re hearing that you can hardly wait until interpack is back on again – as an in-person trade fair where you can meet face-to-face”, reports

Thomas Dohse, Project Director for interpack. According to feedback from the industry, the pandemic showed that digital alternative events were seen as a plus that provided

SEPTEMBER 2021............................................................

added value, but meeting in person at a trade fair is irreplaceable in terms of generating new contacts and building trust, which is massively important. In addition, many companies demonstrate technically complex machinery and systems at interpack, and these need detailed explanation and are often appraised while in operation by potential customers at interpack. These customers also benefit from being able to make immediate comparisons between solutions from different suppliers. Interpack is living up to its promise as an internationally leading trade fair in the packaging industry and related processing industry in 2023 too, and is underscoring this with its new brand slogan “Simply Unique”, which has recently been brought in and characterises its image. “The uniqueness of interpack is primarily characterised by the unparalleled diversity of the products and services that our exhibitors offer, but it is rounded out by our special themes that pick up on the trends for the coming years. In 2023, sustainability and all of its facets will be even more significant than it has been in years past, which means that we will be tackling this set of themes in cooperation with our partners. In addition to these impressive in-person offers, there will also be digital offers”, states Thomas Dohse. In the past, interpack’s special themes have always grabbed the public’s attention, for example SAVE FOOD, which aimed to reduce food waste, or the concept of the innovation parks which demonstrate smart solutions and approaches for specific issues, and which are now a firm favourite at the other international trade fairs held by the interpack alliance. The details on the individual special themes and also on additional digital offers at interpack 2023 will be made public during the coming year. Companies that are interested can still register for interpack 2023 at www.interpack.com. interpack is a platform for complete value chains. This includes processes and machines for packaging and processing packaged goods, along with packaging materials, packaging containers and packaging manufacture, complete with services for the packaging industry. You can also still register for components, the trade fair for suppliers which is held in parallel, at www.packaging-components.com.

Plastics

& Rubber

exhibitions 2021 FAKUMA (Friedrichshafen, Germany) – 12-16 October 2021– www.fakuma-messe.de ECOMONDO (Rimini, Italy) – 26-29 October 2021 – www.ecomondo.com PRSE EUROPE (Rai, Amsterdam, Denmark) – 4-5 November 2021 – www.prseventeurope.com ARABPLAST (Dubai, UAE) – 15-18 November 2021 – www.arabplast.info MECSPE (Bologna, Italy) – 23-25 November 2021 – www.mecspe.com PUTECH EURASIA (Istanbul, Turkey) 25-27 November 2021 – http://putecheurasia.com WARSAW PLAST EXPO (Warsaw, Poland) – 7-9 December 2021 – www.warsawplastexpo.com PLASTIC & RUBBER INDONESIA (Jakarta, Indonesia) 1-4 December 2021 – www.plasticsandrubberindonesia.com GULF PRINT & PACK (Dubai, UAE) – 14-16 December 2021 – www.gulfprintpack.com

2022 INTERPLASTICA (Moscow, Russia) – 25-28 January 2022 – www.interplastica.de PLASTEX (Cairo, Egypt) 9-12 January 2022 – www.plastex-online.com PACK PRINT INTERNATIONAL (Bangkok, Thailand) – 9-12 February 2022 - www.pack-print.de CHINAPLAS (Shanghai, China) – 25-28 April 2022 – www.chinaplasonline.com TIRE TECHNOLOGY EXPO (Hannover, Germany) – 5-7 April 2022 – www.tiretechnology-expo.com INTERPLAST (Joinville, Brazil) – 5-8 April 2022 – www.interplast.com.br GREEN PLAST (Milan-Rho, Italy) – 3-6 May 2022 – www.greenplast.org PLASTIC EXPO (Osaka, Japan) – 11-13 May 2022 – www.plas.jp/en-gb.html ARGENPLAS (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – 6-9 June 2022 – www.argenplas.com.ar ROSPLAST & ROSMOULD (Moscow, Russia) – 7-9 June 2022 – www.rosplast-expo.com AUTOMATICA (Munich, Germany) – 21-24 June – automatica.munich.com EXPOPLAST (S. Miguel, Peru) 24-27 August 2022 – www.expoplastperu.com RUBBER TEC CHINA (Shanghai, China) – 20-22 October 2021 September 2022 – en.rubbertech-expo.com K (Düsseldorf, Germany) – 19-26 October 2022 – www.k-online.com PLASTEX (Brno, Czech Republic) – 3-7 October 2022 – www.bvv.cz/en/plastex

2023 INTERPLASTICA (Moscow, Russia) – January 2023 – www.interplastica.de CHINAPLAS (Shanghai, China) – April 2023 – www.chinaplasonline.com PLAST (Milan-Rho, Italy) – 5-8 September 2023 – www.plastonline.org

index AMUT SPA www.amutgroup.com

67-69

ARABPLAST 2021 www.arabplast.info

AUTOMA by MAGIC SRL www.automabymagic.it

63-65

AUTOMATICA 2022 www.automatica-munich.com/en/

60-62

AZ GOMMA SRL www.azgomma.it

III^ COVER

BARRA PROJECT INTERNATIONAL SRL www.barraproject.it

85-87

BFM SRL www.bfm.it

8-10

BINOVA SRL www.binovapm.it

57-59

BRUNO FOLCIERI SRL www.brunofolcieri.it

CALDARA PLAST SRL www.caldara.it

73-75

CHINAPLAS 2021 www.chinaplasonline.com

16-17

COLOR SERVICE SRL www.colorservice.net

1, 77-79

DRUPA 2021 www.drupa.com

ELVEM SRL www.elvem.it

EQUIPLAST 2021 www.equiplast.com

FAKUMA 2021 www.fakuma-messe.de/en/

6-7, 11

FAP SRL www.fapitaly.com

80-82

FILTEC SRL www.filtec.it

19-21

FIMIC SRL www.fimic.it

GAMMA MECCANICA SPA www.gamma-meccanica.it

43-45

GIANECO SRL www.gianeco.com

28-29

GREENPLAST www.greenplast.org

IMPACTIO www.impactio.it

22-23

INTERPACK 2023 www.interpack.com

92-93

INTERPLASTICA 2022 www.interplastica.de

K 2022 www.k-tradefair.it

26-27

LAWER SPA www.lawer.com

3, 24-25

MECSPE 2021 www.mecspe.com

70, 72

MOSS SRL www.moss.it

NOL-TEC EUROPE SRL www.nte-process.com

2, 48-49

PLAS MEC SRL www.plasmec.it

II^ COVER

PLAST 2023 www.plastonline.org

PLASTIC & RUBBER INDONESIA 2021 www.plasticsandrubberindonesia.com

PLASTIBLOW SRL www.plastiblow.it

39-41

PLASTICS EUROPE www.plasticseurope.org

36, 38

PROPAK CHINA 2022 www.propakchina.com

46-47

PRSE 2022 www.prseventeurope.com

18, 88-89

ROSMOULD 2021 www.rosmould.ru/en

SIRMAX SPA www.sirmax.com

50-52

SMI SPA www.smigroup.it

31-33

TECMES SRL www.tecmes-italia.com

34-35

TECNO SYSTEM SRL www.tecnosystemfe.it

13-15, IV^COVER

TOVO GOMMA SPA www.tovogomma.com

Plastics & Rubber

Technology in technopolimeric material Mould and mould-flow design for thermoplastic articles Mould design for elastomeric articles Print of technical details in thermoplastic materials Print of elastomeric technical details Ultrasound soldering – high frequency – hot blade Quality service: analysis on technical articles produces and test of in/outcoming materials

FIELDS OF APPLICATION OF OUR PRODUCTS BOTTLING PACKAGING AUTOMATION LABELLING PAPER TRANSFORMATION PHARMACEUTICAL VALVES AND FITTINGS PNEUMATICS